All eyes are on Texas as Republicans work to draw new congressional districts ahead of

26. But the battle for control of Congress runs through Southwest Washington, home to one of the

most competitive districts in the country. And that's where incumbent Marie Glucent-Camp

Perez has a new challenger. He's the Republican leader in the state Senate. Meet John Braun,

a moderate who could deliver the third district in the state Senate. Meet John Braun, a moderate who

could deliver the third district to the GOP this week on sound politics, wherever you get your

podcasts.

TGIF from the KUU-O-W newsroom.

This is Seattle now.

I'm Paige Browning, inside the studios on this sunny day to bring you the roundup of today's top stories.

It's Friday, April 18th.

Topping our news today, Washington Democrats ditched an ambitious plan to tax the state's richest

people after the governor objected. But a wealth tax could emerge from this year's legislative

session anyway. Jeannie Lindsay has the story. Governor Bob Ferguson has said he won't sign a state

budget that relies on a major new wealth tax. But Democrats in the legislature are now considering a much smaller version they hope could earn the governor's signature.

It raises about $100 million a year. And that is not, certainly not balancing the budget on it. So I think it is responsive to the concerns that Governor Ferguson raised.

That's the bill's sponsor, Senator Noel Frame.

The tax would apply to a person's assets above $50 million at a rate of $0.4 per every $1,000.

That's a fraction of the original proposal. But lawmakers only have about a week

left to try to pass it. I'm Jeannie Lindsay in Olympia. Two federal actions we're watching,

at least 34 international students at Washington universities have had their visa records deleted

from a federal database.

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