Matthew Hayes

Matthew Hayes served in the U.S. Air Force. Hayes earned a law degree from Gonzaga Law School in 2026. Hayes' career experience includes working as a physician.[1]

Matthew Hayes did not complete [the profile publisher]'s 2026 Candidate Connection survey.

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Campaign websiteHayes' campaign website stated the following:VotingVoting is a sacred right. Please Vote!My campaign T-Shirts have a simple message: We The People Must Vote! Voting is a civic duty in my opinion. It is sacred. Democracies rely on strong voter participation to thrive. If citizens do not vote and participate, democracies die. History tells us this fact.In the last local election in Spokane County on November 4, 2025, ONLY 39.7 percent of Registered Voters cast a ballot. The last primary election on August 6, 2024 in Washington’s 5th Congressional District 2024 also had poor voter turnout. Only approximately 40.4 percent of Registered Voters voted across the 12 Counties.Without Strong Voter Turnout, how can we elect Good People? Please answer this question for yourself. More importantly, PLEASE VOTE. (and your vote is your business)The American Healthcare SystemAre you tired of paying A LOT for A LITTLE?We are all patients in the The American Healthcare System. Are you 100 percent satisfied with your healthcare? Probably not. Most Americans have stories of less than stellar experiences at clinics and hospitals.I spent 17 years in the trenches of The American Healthcare System. I have countless frustrating stories. To me it boils down to one concept: PROFITS OVER PATIENTS. In my opinion, this mantra is the root cause of the many issues in The American Healthcare System.Healthcare is approximately 20 percent of the United States economy. The amount of money spent on doctor visits, prescription drugs, and hospitalizations is staggering. Big Medicine, Big Pharma, and Big Insurance make ridiculous amounts of money. We must work together to flip the script. It should be PATIENTS OVER PROFITS. The American Healthcare System will fight change with everything they have. But I am committed to doing everything I can to help healthcare be better for everyone!!Party PoliticsWe can do better than the current landscape in American Politics!The Pledge of Allegiance says in part, “one Nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.” I remember reciting these words in elementary school in the 1980’s. It says “one Nation” but all too often it does not feel that way in the USA lately.Party politics divides us. Cable news thrives on divisive rhetoric. Social media employs algorithms to enrage people. Hate and fear rule the day. Good people end up disliking and even loathing one another along party lines. This is NOT the American Way in my opinion.We need to start talking to one another again. We need to connect with our neighbors. We need to get to know people at the local coffee shop and pizza parlor. There was a time when people respected the views of others. Why can’t we get back to that?I am running as an Independet largely because Party Politics is toxic in the USA right now. I will have conversations with people of all viewpoints. In my view, All Opinions Matter! Let’s get back to respecting one another and being civil. The EconomyLet's work together to help Eastern Washington thrive!The economy is what many people care about most. It makes sense. If you are struggling to make ends meet, little else matters in your day-to-day life. Perhaps you are trying to get ahead and live the American Dream. Yet the cost of living keeps increasing. It is a struggle. I grew up in a middle-class family. My parents provided everything I needed. They gave me many of the things I wanted. I will never forget My Dad taking me to Geiger’s Sporting Goods for a pair of Air Jordans. I wish that all parents could provide for their kids like mine did.Young people in America worry about never being able to buy a home or save enough for retirement. Most Americans do NOT have money in the stock market. We must find ways for people to have financial security and peace of mind. Hard work should matter. Some of my Gonzaga Law School classmates will move to Seattle because Eastern Washington simply does not have enough jobs. We need to grow the economy in the 12 counties of Washington’s 5th Congressional District. Let’s work together to make it happen.I am not an economist, never have been and never will be! Nevertheless, I will fight in Congress for the Federal Government to do its part for the economy of Eastern WashingtonWar is HellGoing to War should always be a Last Resort!Less than 1 percent of Americans serve in the United States Military. I had the privilege of serving in the US Air Force for 11 years. The US Air Force is the best organization that I have been involved in because its people are of the highest caliber.The US was at War in Afghanistan for nearly 20 years. Many young voters may not know why we were there. 9/11 is burned into the consciousness of all Americans who were old enough to understand that we were attacked heinously on our own soil. In Afghanistan we dismantled Al Queda, the terrorists behind 9/11. I will never forget the day in 2011 when US forces killed Osama Bin Laden, the mastermind of that horrible day in September 2001.There is a picture of a wounded child from my time in Afghanistan. I did so to show the horrors of war. That child took shrapnel to the brain, a horrifying injury. We saved his life. He learned to walk again through brute force and determination. His resolve allowed all of us medical personnel to carry on even though we were overwhelmed with the WORST INJURIES YOU CAN IMAGINE. There is nothing that can prepare you for the human carnage of war.I am not a hero. I did my job to the best of my ability when called upon to do so. That's what we all did in Afghanistan. Personally, I will never be the same after those two deployments. Quite honestly, I don't want to be the same. War is absolute hell. It should always be THE LAST RESORT. DisinformationBe Aware of Lies and Falsehoods!In the Age of The Internet and Cable News, Disinformation presents a Clear and Present Danger to our Democracy. Outright Lies and Falsehoods are commonplace on Television and the Internet. The people spewing Lies and Falsehoods have self-serving interests. The 2020 Presidential Election is a prime example. “Stop the Steal” became a rallying cry for far-right extremists. Many of those spreading election disinformation had financial interests in the outcome.The Pandemic is another example of Disinformation. I worked at Harlem Hospital in New York City in April 2020 at the beginning of the pandemic. The entire hospital of over 500 beds was filled with Covid-19 patients. The Covid-19 virus is VERY REAL. Yet I guarantee that even today there are people who deny the existence of this deadly virus! Everyone needs to understand that Disinformation is rampant in our society. We must be vigilant in choosing reliable sources for our news and health information. For example, your doctor is a much better source of health information than a government official with no medical training. Be aware of Disinformation every time you turn on the TV or type in your password on your smartphone. People and corporations have nefarious agendas to push their lies. Please reject all lies and falsehoods! — Matthew Hayes' campaign website (July 17, 2026)Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.