Michael Baumgartner
A candidate for State Senator, Legislative District 6 (NW Spokane County and NE Spokane) in the 2014 Nov. 4 Washington General Election
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. Has four children.
Contact information
Race Results
| Candidate | Votes | Pct |
|---|---|---|
| Michael Baumgartner (R) | 28,299 | 57.48% |
| Rich Cowan (D) | 20,935 | 42.52% |
Related Coverage
Spin Control: Misunderstanding and the case of the dropped ‘S’
OLYMPIA – The Capitol environs are replete with acronyms. Agencies are known by three-letter describers and programs are rarely mentioned by their full names. But last week’s Senate hearing into the shipping slowdowns at the state’s major ports in Seattle and Tacoma highlighted the problems relying too heavily on acronyms.
Inslee carbon tax plan would help complete North Spokane freeway
SEATTLE – Washington Gov. Jay Inslee on Wednesday proposed an ambitious cap-and-trade program to require the state’s largest industrial polluters to pay for every ton of carbon they release. The proposal, which also would pay for a significant portion of the remaining work needed to complete the North Spokane freeway, was part of a broader package that the Democrat said would help the state meet a 2008 mandate to drastically reduce greenhouse gas emissions blamed for global warming. It sets an overall limit on heat-trapping gases similar to a program that California launched nearly three years ago.
State legislators support new medical education model
The legislators backing Washington State University’s bid to establish its own Spokane-based medical school said Tuesday the rural doctor shortage is so severe the state needs more than one approach to physician training. “This is something that is long overdue,” state Sen. Michael Baumgartner, R-Spokane, said of plans to seek legislative removal of legal restrictions designating the University of Washington as the state’s only medical school.
Doug Clark: Turn ‘County Crank’ sign prank into cash for food bank
I have a hundred – do I hear $200? Yes. That’s two hundred.
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.