Michael Baumgartner
A candidate for U.S. Representative, Congressional District 5 in the 2024 Washington General Election, Nov. 5
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.
Contact information
Race Results
| Candidate | Votes | Pct |
|---|---|---|
| Michael Baumgartner (R) | 177,877 | 59.90% |
| Carmela Conroy (D) | 119,070 | 40.10% |
Related Coverage
Michael Baumgartner, Eastern Washington’s congressman-elect, hopes for bipartisanship despite heated election year
WASHINGTON – Michael Baumgartner intends to be a team player when he’s sworn in as a member of the House Republican conference in January, but Eastern Washington’s newly elected congressman says that doesn’t mean always being at odds with the opposing party.
Michael Baumgartner will be Eastern Washington’s next congressman
Republican Michael Baumgartner will be the next congressman for Eastern Washington, having earned a commanding lead in early election results Tuesday night and dispelling the wishful thinking of Democrats who hoped to flip the reliably Republican seat for the first time in 30 years.
After August victory, PAC money started flowing for Baumgartner in his congressional bid
In the months after Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers announced she would not run for re-election, throwing open the floodgates for more than a dozen people to announce bids to succeed her, partisan and corporate political action committees largely kept their checkbooks closed.
Baumgartner, Conroy meet again on the debate stage with two weeks until election
With only two weeks left before the Nov. 5 election, Republican Michael Baumgartner and Democrat Carmela Conroy met on the debate stage Monday night in Pullman .
How Michael Baumgartner became the frontrunner to be Eastern Washington’s next Congressman
The political career of Michael Baumgartner may have begun with an email newsletter.
Michael Baumgartner and Carmela Conroy: who will fill the seat being vacated for Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers?
Either Republican Michael Baumgartner or Democrat Carmela Conroy will be a fresh face in the House of Representatives next year, as, for the first time in 20 years, Eastern Washington voters will not be asked whether they want to be represented in Congress by Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers.
Michael Baumgartner and Carmela Conroy trade barbs on economy in Congressional debate
Economic woes were front and center as Michael Baumgartner and Carmela Conroy debated Tuesday night in their bid to represent Eastern Washington in Congress.
U.S. Senate debate: Cantwell and Garcia; U.S. House debate: Baumgartner and Conroy
Sen. Maria Cantwell and Dr Raul Garcia debate in a forum sponsored by The Spokesman-Review in partnership with KSPS, Gonzaga University, The Black Lens and the Washington Debate Coalition. After that (arround the 2-hour-22-minute mark), candidates for Washington’s 5th Congressional District, Michael Baumgartner and Carmela Conroy, take the stage.
Cantwell, Garcia and Baumgartner, Conroy will debate in Spokane on Oct. 8
The Spokesman-Review and Northwest Passages will host back-to-back debates between candidates for U.S. Senate and an open seat representing Eastern Washington in the U.S. House of Representatives on Oct. 8 at Gonzaga University.