U.S. House District 5
Carmela Conroy
Elected Experience
Precinct Committee Officer; Student Bar Association President, UW Law School.
Other Professional Experience
Foreign Service Officer (diplomat), U.S. Department of State, 24 years; Spokane County Deputy Prosecuting Attorney; Legal Advisor, Nissan Motor Company Ltd.
Education
U.S. Naval War College, M.A. (top 5% of class), National Security; University of Washington, J.D., B.A. International Trade & Investment; Central Valley High School, Spokane Valley.
Community Service
CIA Agency Seal Award Recipient; Spokane County Democrats Chair; Gonzaga Law School Mock Trial Judge; Eastern Washington University Cyber Security Hackathon Judge; Spokane League of Women Voters; Civics Bowl; American Red Cross; Manzanita House; Friends of the Bluff Fire Risk Reduction Team Leader.
Statement
Our billion-dollar-a-day war with no clear mission or exit strategy has crippled our economy. Rent and mortgages are unaffordable. Grocery prices keep rising while paychecks stay flat. Gas, diesel, and fertilizer prices skyrocket. Wheat that used to ship to Asia sits in silos. Tariffs close markets that farmers spent decades expanding. Hospitals hanging by a thread in Dayton, Ritzville, Colville, and Pullman. This isn’t working. We can help fix it by unseating our freshman Congressmember.
As a blue-collar kid from Spokane, I put myself through college and law school and came back to Spokane County as Deputy Prosecutor to stand up for survivors of violence and sexual assault. I served our country for 24 years as a diplomat with the U.S. Foreign Service in places like Afghanistan, Japan, Norway, and Pakistan. I negotiated tough trade and national security issues across political, religious, and national divides. As your Congresswoman, I'll end the tariffs punishing our farmers and consumers. I’ll fund rural hospitals, Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid. I’ll bring a prosecutor’s skills to keep us safer, and uproot corruption. I’ll keep politicians out of your doctor’s office.
The current Congressmember could have stood up for us. He said he would. He didn’t. He fell in line and surrendered his responsibility and power to help us. He seems more interested in cozying up to elites than keeping them in check. No one is above the law. Not the powerful or well-connected. Nobody shielding sex traffickers from accountability. I’m running because our communities and our Country deserve better.
I’m ready to be your next member in Congress and would be honored to have your vote. Recommended by the Spokane County Labor Council, and hundreds of neighbors across Eastern Washington. Endorsed by the Ferry County Democrats, Laborers, Machinists #751, Electrical Workers #73, Steamfitters #44.
Michael Baumgartner
Elected Experience
US Congressman (2025-); Treasurer, Spokane County (2019- 2025); Washington State Senator (2011-2018).
Other Professional Experience
Former Advisor, Hecla Mining. During the 2007 “surge”, I joined the State Department In Iraq. In 2009 I worked on a civilian counternarcotics team in Afghanistan, supporting farmers to grow wheat. (It’s where I met my wife, Eleanor.) We saw firsthand the bravery and sacrifices of our military. With WSU coach Mike Leach, I taught a class on football and counterinsurgency strategy.
Education
Gonzaga Prep and Pullman High; WSU – BA, Economics (1999); Harvard – MPA (2002).
Community Service
Former WSU Medical School Advisory Council. Active member St. Augustine’s Parish.
Statement
Today, Eastern Washington families are still being squeezed by high prices, federal overspending, and crime.
During my first term in Congress, I have kept my promise to help secure the border, reduce taxes, and cut waste and fraud. There is more work to do.
I sponsored legislation to prohibit Members of Congress from trading individual stocks and profiting from special knowledge. I voted for permanent tax relief for working families and fought for lower taxes, smaller government, and more freedom. I helped enact laws to increase military salaries, and I will keep fighting for Fairchild Air Force Base and our veterans. I voted for the SAVE Act requiring people to show proof of citizenship when they register to vote, and supported a new $50 billion fund for rural healthcare. I helped pass the Farm Bill through the House for the first time in eight years, including my amendment focused on Eastern Washington water resources. I’ve worked to protect our Snake River dams.
Public service means helping people. My office has answered over 180,000 emails and phone calls, helped hundreds of people cut through red tape, and returned $3.8 million to local families. I will always fight for our values while also working across the aisle when it helps Eastern Washington, treating people with respect and pushing to restore integrity and civility to Congress.
I’m proud to be supported by agriculture leaders like Mark Schoesler, Mary Dye and Alex McGregor, community leaders including Mike Padden and Phil Altmeyer, business leaders like Duane Vaagen and Barry Baker, sheriffs from Ferry, Stevens and Walla Walla Counties, and many more.
I love Eastern Washington: I grew up in Colton and on the Palouse, and my wife and I are raising our five children in Spokane. I would be honored to have your vote.
Community Engagement
Community Engagement
- ✅ Columbia Basin Herald Candidate Q&A
- ✅ AAUW CD5 Forum at Whitman College
- ❌ Tumbleweird Q&A
- ✅ Spokesman-Review CD5 Debate
- ❌ Ballotpedia Survey 2026
- ❌ NonStop Local Candidate Interview
- ❌ VOTE411 Voter Guide
Written endorsements
No letters of support or opposition listed yet.
Written endorsements
No letters of support or opposition listed yet.
Endorsements
45th & 47th President of the United States Donald J. TrumpOhio U.S. Representative Jim Jordan20th Legislative District Senator John Braun (Senate Minority Leader)7th Legislative District Senator Shelly ShortSpokane County Commissioner Josh KernsSpokane County Commissioner Al FrenchSpokane Valley Mayor Laura PaddenSpokane City Councilman Michael CathcartMead School District Board Director Alan Nolan (District 2)Mead School District board member Michael CannonFormer U.S. Career Ambassador Ryan CrockerFormer Washington Secretary of State Sam ReedFormer Spokane County Sheriff Ozzie KnezovichFormer 5th Congressional District Representative Cathy McMorris RodgersFormer 5th Legislative District Senator Dino RossiFormer Spokane Mayor David CondonFormer Spokane Mayor Nadine WoodwardFormer 7th Legislative District Senator Brian DanselFormer 18th Legislative District Senator Ann RiversFormer Representative Jacquelin MaycumberFormer 16th Legislative District Senator Mike HewittFormer Spokane Valley Mayor Pam HaleyFormer 16th Legislative District Senator Maureen WalshFormer 41st Legislative District Senator Steve LitzowFormer 13th Legislative District Senator Janéa NewbryFormer Spokane County Prosecutor Larry HaskellNational Federation of Independent BusinessAssociated Builders & ContractorsAssociated General Contractors of AmericaNational Association of RealtorsUS Chamber of CommerceWashington Farm BureauFarm Credit CouncilAmerican Hospital AssociationAmerican Forest and Paper AssociationAmerican Council of Engineering CompaniesNational Association of Wholesaler-DistributorsNational Alliance of Forest OwnersNational Rifle AssociationNational Rural Electric Cooperative AssociationPotlatch DelticHecla Mining Co.Avista Corp.Boeing CompanyBNSF RailwayWeyerhaeuser CompanyPuget Sound EnergySpokane Tribe of IndiansThe Confederated Tribes of the Colville ReservationSuquamish Indian TribeMuckleshoot Indian TribePuyallup Tribe of IndiansEastern Band of Cherokee IndiansFormer Washington State Republican Party Chair Susan HutchisonCandidate for State Representative Jonathan BingleFormer WSU QB Jack ThompsonFormer Gordon Trucking owner Steve GordonFormer Journalist & Concerned Mother Eleanor BaumgartnerMatt Hanson owner of Dye Seed & grandson of R.A. HansonLet's Go Washington Founder Brian HeywoodDan Wilson of United Steelworkers Local 338Activist and fiscal conservative Tim EymanFormer US Ambassador to Moldova Asif ChaudhryFormer Walla Walla County Republican Chair Shane LaibClay Leland formerly of Trump Administration Office of White House CounselRetired USMC Lt. Col. Dave LucasSharon Leach and Cody Leach wife and son of former WSU Football Coach Mike LeachFormer WSU & US Olympic Team Track Coach John ChaplinBusiness owner and former heavyweight boxer Chauncy "The Hillyard Hammer" WelliverFormer FOX 28 news anchor Kjerstin BellChris and Jana Schultheis of Colton wheat farmersFormer Hecla Mining Senior VP/COO Lauren RobertsSpokane Swinging Doors owners Bob and Barb MaterneSpokane Barrister Winery owner Greg LipskerSmall business owners Jeff and Shawna MillerBusinessman Cyrus VaughnBusinessman Ned RumpeltesPastor Boris BorisovRetired Pat and Kathy DixJohn and Kathy PariseauMatt EwersLarry StoneSteve HelmbrechtMike and Josie DixMark and Katy TheriaultBen SlivkaMitch JohnsonRobert Blair StrongDann Mead SmithEd BruyaFred FlemingChris HenjumBlaine FrenchPaul BrandtSusan and George HerionTerry and Susan HerionMartin TobiasTim WelshChris MikkelsenDave ParksDavid McGannJulie OldsJonathan & Maggie MerckDr. John and Dawn HahnKelly GreenwoodArnold HedeenSarah GoodmanTasha EricksenPaul SorensenMike MorganBillie MilfordDerek WillisD.J. SchultzLes BaldikChristopher TruppnerPatricia KienholzChip CathcartBeth SigallJeffrey DeGonS.F. PangerlMatt McCoyKarla BaysKeith SlaterDavid and Mary MenardAndrew GerhardtDon KurthChris SchnaubeltDavid CherryRick RichardCindy WolfJoe BanavigeMarie HackneyRobert ScottRuss and Carol RoeberNorma JoinerNeil WaltherBruce JohnsonAmos RothsteinChris NieuwenhuisChuck MillhamDebbie and Mike LeslieGary HouserHoward MahanJoan FrankLowell StambaughMartin PhillipsArden and Joyce SmithCarmen RobertsMason HatzkeKirk SmithJody JonesSue CronkJon AndersonKelley MessingerSteve BlueCarol LindquistCarl DurrSarah LeeJeff HunterRussell GoldsbaryTravis MessingerRoberto and Susan AuffantRod SchwartzLynn FariasChris KerleyKW HippsTerry and Carol NewcombJames KalamonSharon GraueAlison HarrisKandis CarperAngela DowneyBlaan McMahonKent TurnerTracy KellyPaul KennedyKathleen OsselloJames RenoSteve PetersonSusan NelsonEdith FaylorDan and Gloria ClarkBrett and Nansen MalinNancy CabeCeleste GabelCraig ThorsonDiane AdamsJohn OlsonKeith ScribnerLuke BlueMisty CoxMichael ReimerDavid LangeKathy ConnorsJohn HolmbergMichael MillerKay NelsenRon PursleyTed and Fran O'DonnellHerbert ReyburnJoseph CapriJohn ConnorsDarrell SiriaAnitra BakerLJ and Sandra SpoonemoreMike MogliaJay MaiuriCecilia SouleTommy ElliottBryce JohnsonBibbie RanckMiguel LibreroAndrew LadanLloyd FillisRobert WhiffenAndrew HowisonDale SchwartzenhauerBrad WiedrichJill CrainRoger ZaringRichard A. Coon Jr.Robert BeilRobert Leeds Jr.Robin StewartRon and Chris BuchananSue MorrisTodd MaddockWilliam BrighamLawrence CoulsonKaren DavisSally and Jim TaylorNancy CrottyRyan and Diane ZakopykoAlice DavisPreston HorganRichard WhippsSkip ChillbergMavis Crockford
Donors
Donors
💰 $215,996 from 246+ donors ($215,996 cash / $0 in-kind): including Michael R Bell ($7,000)Garry T Shea ($7,000)Jerry Edward Leclaire ($7,000)Karen Ann Cowen ($7,000)John S Cowen ($7,000)Angela Fredericks ($7,000)Grant Fredericks ($7,000)Lorna B Walsh ($7,000)
Donors
Donors
💰 $1,060,874 from 821+ donors ($1,060,874 cash / $0 in-kind): including John G Connors ($25,500)Bradley Miles ($15,623)Dale Reese ($10,792)Asif Chaudhry ($10,792)Benjamin Slivka ($10,792)Sanjeev Saini ($10,501)Beatrice Plath ($10,500)Peter Plath ($10,500)
Candidate surveys
- Ballotpedia Candidate Connection 2026 — by Ballotpedia
- Tumbleweird Q&A — by Tumbleweird