State Senator
Election Results
| Candidate | Votes | Pct |
|---|---|---|
| Michael Baumgartner (R) | 18,063 | 57.27% |
| Rich Cowan (D) | 13,476 | 42.73% |
* Race percentages are calculated with data from the Secretary of State's Office, which omits write-in votes from its calculations when there are too few to affect the outcome. The Spokane County Auditor's Office may have slightly different percentages than are reflected here because its figures include any write-in votes.
The Candidates
Michael Baumgartner
- Party:
- Republican
- Age:
- 48
- City:
- Spokane, Washington
Education: Graduated from Pullman High School in 1995, after attending Gonzaga Prep for two years. Graduated from Washington State University in 1999 with a bachelor’s degree in economics. Graduated from Harvard University in 2002 with a master’s degree in public administration.
Work experience: Worked for office of the Crown Prince of Dubai as economic development adviser for about a year starting in June 2002. Worked two years starting in the spring of 2003 for i4, a company that hoped to build a telecommunication network in Saudi Arabia. Worked as Dubai-based business consultant for about a year. Worked as consultant for Hecla Mining related to gold mine in Venezuela for several months in 2006. Worked as economics officer for the U.S. State Department in Iraq for about a year starting in spring 2007. Worked for Civilian Police International, a State Department contractor, in Afghanistan on a counter-narcotics program for about eight months starting in December 2008. Provided pre-deployment advisory to U.S. military on counterinsurgency. Lecturer on counterinsurgency at Sciences Po University in Paris.
Political experience: Has served as Spokane County treasurer after winning election in 2018 and 2022. Previously elected to state Senate in 2010, unseating Democratic incumbent Chris Marr. Re-elected in 2014. Unsuccessfully challenged Democratic U.S. Sen. Maria Cantwell in 2012. Previously served as vice chairman of Senate Ways and Means Committee and chairman of Commerce and Labor committee.
Family: Married to Eleanor Baumgartner. Has five children.
Rich Cowan
- Party:
- Democrat
- Age:
- 68
- City:
- Spokane, WA
- Occupation:
- CEO and founder, North by Northwest
RICH COWAN
Education: Graduated from Juanita High School in Kirkland, Wash. in 1974. Earned broadcast journalism degree from Washington State University in 1979. Earned human nutrition master’s degree from WSU in 1984.
Work experience: Co-founded North by Northwest Productions in 1990. Worked as the community affairs director for KHQ-TV from 1986-1990. Served as a firefighter and emergency medical technician at Washington State University while a college student. Served on Community Colleges of Spokane Vocational Advicsory Council in mid-1990s. Former Eagle Scout.
Political experience: Ran for Congress in 2012 against U.S. Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers.
Family: Divorced. Has two adult children.
Complete Coverage
Washington election: Campaigns spending heavily as deadline nears
OLYMPIA – With control of the Washington Senate in the balance, legislative candidates could pull in record amounts of money, and some ballot measure campaigns are spending heavily as the election deadline approaches. Their fates may be decided by a relatively small number of voters. Early turnout is light throughout the state, and less than half of Spokane County’s eligible voters are expected to return their ballots this fall.
In this corner …
None
Baumgartner: Cowan TV ad misleading
A new TV attack ad by Democratic state Senate challenger Rich Cowan inaccurately portrays Republican incumbent Michael Baumgartner’s voting record on tax breaks. The ad, which began airing on Spokane television stations late last week, correctly notes that state law contains hundreds of “wasteful tax loopholes benefiting out-of-state corporations.” It also is fair to say that Baumgartner supported extending tax breaks for private jet owners and producers of hog fuel in 2013.
6th Legislative District Senate race questions and answers
Both candidates were asked five questions and allowed up to 50 words for each response. Their answers are listed below and appear in the same order as the candidates will appear on the Nov. 4 ballot. What is your top priority and how specifically would you achieve that?
UW, WSU to end medical training partnership
The state’s two leading universities are parting ways over medical education and will compete in the Legislature for money to offer their own physician training programs in Spokane. Under an agreement announced Friday evening, Washington State University will push to establish an independent medical school at Spokane’s Riverpoint campus and withdraw from the five-state doctor training program operated in partnership with the University of Washington’s existing medical school. The University of Washington, meanwhile, will push for continued expansion of the five-state program’s Spokane branch and won’t oppose the WSU effort.
WSU, UW negotiating solution over control of medical program
Democratic state Senate challenger Rich Cowan threw his support Thursday behind Washington State University’s bid to operate its own medical school without having to rely on the University of Washington. “We need a world-class medical school headquartered here in Spokane,” Cowan said. “A WSU medical school with its own mission that serves our community and the surrounding area.”
Zombie politics shaping state Senate race
There’s more than civic pride riding on Friday night’s premiere of “Z Nation,” the zombie-apocalypse TV show filmed and produced in Spokane. It’s also become the symbolic centerpiece of Democratic state Senate challenger Rich Cowan’s pitch as the candidate with the best economic development résumé. Cowan’s studio, North By Northwest, is producing the 13-episode SyFy network series, which has brought the equivalent of about 200 full-time and mostly union-scale jobs to Spokane, as well as hundreds of other part-time opportunities.
Senate challenger Rich Cowan making most of ‘Z Nation’ debut
There’s more than civic pride riding on Friday night’s premiere of “Z Nation,” the zombie-apocalypse TV show filmed and produced in Spokane. It’s also become the symbolic centerpiece of Democratic state Senate challenger Rich Cowan’s pitch as the candidate with the best economic development résumé. Cowan’s studio, North By Northwest, is producing the 13-episode SyFy network series, which has brought the equivalent of about 200 full-time and mostly union-scale jobs to Spokane, as well as hundreds of other part-time opportunities.
Primary election results favor GOP gaining control of state Senate
OLYMPIA – Republicans are in the driver’s seat to control the Washington Senate in 2015 unless Democrats can improve their showing in a handful of races like Spokane’s 6th District contest between incumbent Sen. Mike Baumgartner and challenger Rich Cowan. Primary results from the Baumgartner-Cowan race aren’t as close as some other contests, but with relatively few competitive districts left after the 2011 redrawing of district boundaries, it’s likely to get the most attention of any Senate election in Eastern Washington.
Republican incumbents carry the day in local races
A slate of inconsequential primaries delivered results Tuesday night as both candidates in a number of two-person races moved forward to November’s general election with a better idea of where their support lies. It was a night for incumbents in the Republican Party as state Sen. Michael Baumgartner, Spokane County Sheriff Ozzie Knezovich and state Rep. Matt Shea all took commanding leads of at least 10 percentage points over their opponents. In the largest spread, Knezovich walloped his challenger, Doug Orr, besting him by 33,000 votes of just 74,000 cast in early returns.
6th District Senate campaign likely another expensive race
The 6th Legislative District is bound for another expensive campaign season, as Democrat Rich Cowan challenges incumbent Republican state Sen. Mike Baumgartner in November. Although they are the only two candidates in the race, making the Aug. 5 primary election almost inconsequential, they have already raised over $400,000 combined.
Spin Control: Candidates spar over income tax claim
In these dog days of summer, things that would not get a second look the rest of the year are tested for news viability under much lower July vacation standards in an effort to fill the paper. Any other time, a press release from one candidate complaining that his opponent was lying about his stance on an issue would likely go straight to the delete file. Lying in campaigns is, after all, a time-honored political tradition protected by the state Supreme Court.
Zombie TV series ‘Z Nation’ will provide Spokane with good jobs
The zombies are coming. And they’re bringing work for nearly 200 actors, 1,300 extras and more than 100 crew members. The new SyFy Network television series “Z Nation” will begin shooting in Spokane next month. The network has ordered 13 episodes, all of which will be filmed in the Spokane area this spring and summer and are scheduled to begin airing in the fall.
Baumgartner hosts re-election breakfast
Although he’s been raising money for nearly a year, state Sen. Mike Baumgartner makes it official Thursday with a formal kickoff breakfast for his re-election campaign. Republican Baumgartner, 38, was elected to the 6th District seat in 2010, defeating incumbent Democrat Chris Marr in what became the most expensive legislative race that year. In the minority his first two years, Baumgartner has been a member of the coalition of Republicans and two disaffected Democrats who controlled the Senate for the last two.
Bill seeks green status for Spokane Waste-to-Energy Plant
OLYMPIA – Electricity from the West Plains garbage incinerator would be classified as a renewable energy and be more valuable to an electric utility if a bill proposed by state Sen. Mike Baumgartner is approved. Spokane’s Waste-to-Energy Plant should be designated as a renewable resource, Baumgartner, R-Spokane, told the Senate Energy Committee Thursday: “As long as people make garbage, it’s renewable.”