Republican Michael Baumgartner appears to have defeated Democrat Carmela Conroy in the race for Eastern Washington’s 5th Congressional District.
Baumgartner had 60% of the vote after Tuesday night’s initial ballot count. Conroy was trailing with 40%.
Baumgartner is a familiar face in Spokane politics. He was a state senator from 2010 to 2019, and currently serves as Spokane County treasurer. Before entering politics, he worked as an economics officer for the U.S. State Department in Iraq and a civilian contractor in Afghanistan.
Conroy spent 24 years as a foreign service officer and diplomat with the U.S. State Department. She has also worked as a deputy prosecutor in Spokane County and recently chaired the Spokane County Democratic party.
The 5th District covers the easternmost part of Washington. Much of the district is agricultural, but it also includes major cities like Spokane, Pullman and Walla Walla. U.S. Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers, a Republican, has represented the district since 2004. In February, she unexpectedly announced that she would not seek reelection. Baumgartner got 28.5% of the vote in a 11-person primary, one of the most crowded races in Washington this year.
On the campaign trail, Conroy and Baumgartner were split along party lines on most issues. Baumgartner listed securing the southern border as a top priority, while Conroy emphasized her support for abortion rights.
Republicans have historically held a large advantage in the 5th District. The last Democrat to hold the seat was Tom Foley, who served as Speaker of the House and was defeated by Republican George Nethercutt in 1994.
