Spokane County GOP backs Brian Dansel for Congress

Ferry County Commissioner Brian Dansel has been endorsed by the Spokane County Republican Party in his run to represent Eastern Washington in Congress, following a vote Thursday night among 96 precinct committee officers.

To receive the party’s endorsement, a candidate needed to receive just over 50% of the votes.

Around 57% of precinct committee officers voted to endorse Dansel, the lowest amount of support for any candidate recently endorsed by the county GOP, though Dansel is also running in the most crowded race in the region this year with five other Republican contenders who split the remaining 43% of the votes. Five Democrats are also running for the seat.

Spokane County Treasurer Michael Baumgartner won the second highest tally, taking about 19%.

“As far as I see it, it was an absolute knockout,” Dansel said in a brief interview. “I’m thrilled and so thankful to the people in the Spokane County Republican Party. I found that the entire process has been really fair, and it was great to meet so many folks interested in the future of our country.”

While Dansel has lagged in fundraising compared to other candidates, the former Trump-administration appointee has garnered a number of party endorsements, including the state GOP and local parties in Franklin and Pend Oreille counties.

“It’s an incredible amount of momentum our campaign is experiencing,” Dansel said.

Dansel has served in many roles in elected and appointed office, including as an adviser to the National Economic Council and the U.S. Department of Agriculture in the Trump administration, as state executive director of the Farm Service Agency and the regional director of the Pacific Northwest region of the USDA. He also previously served as a state senator, having defeated appointed state Sen. John Smith, R-Colville, in 2013.

The Spokane County Democrats endorsed two candidates in the race, OB-GYN Bernadine Bank and former diplomat Carmela Conroy, in May.