Michael Baumgartner

Michael Baumgartner was born in Pullman, Washington, in 1975.[1] He earned a bachelor's degree in economics from Washington State University in 1999 and a Master's of Public Administration in international development from Harvard University in 2002. His career experience includes working as an economic affairs officer with the U.S. State Department in Iraq and as a part-time economic adviser to the United States military.[2] He previously served in the Washington Senate from 2011 to 2019 and as Spokane County Treasurer from 2019 to 2025.[1]

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Campaign website

Baumgartner’s campaign website stated the following:

Michael Baumgartner is a former Washington State Senator and diplomat, now serving as the Treasurer of Spokane County overseeing a nearly $1.9 billion fixed-income investment fund.

Michael spent eight years as the State Senator for the 6th Legislative District. There he played a lead role in the bipartisan effort creating a new WSU medical school in Spokane and in securing funding to finally finish the North-South Freeway. Michael led the successful push for a historic reduction in the cost of college tuition. His “Drain the Swamp” legislation eliminated five government agencies to reduce bureaucratic waste.

Michael received numerous honors, including the "Champion of Freedom Award" from the Washington Policy Center and the "Legislator of the Year" award from the Inland Empire Society of American Foresters. He is active in the GOP, having served as MC for the State Republican Gala dinner and auctioneer for the Spokane County Republican Lincoln Day Dinner. In 2012, Michael was the Republican candidate for US Senate in Washington.

Michael grew up surrounded by the Palouse wheatfields in Colton and then Pullman. He is the son of two lifelong educators: Michael’s mother is beloved Pullman kindergarten teacher “Mrs. B,” and his father was Emeritus Professor of Forestry at Washington State University.

Michael majored in economics at WSU (Go Cougs!) and after spending a year volunteering with the Jesuits in Africa, he earned a Masters in Public Administration (MPA, International Development) from Harvard University, where he was a Teaching Fellow in Economics.

After working in private business in the Middle East, Michael was a U.S. State Department Officer at the US Embassy in Baghdad, Iraq, from 2007 to 2008. He went on to serve as a counternarcotics advisor to a US Government-funded program in Afghanistan, where he worked alongside his future wife, Eleanor.

Eleanor and Michael now live in Spokane with their five young children and are very involved in youth sports, scouts and Sunday School. Their family loves camping and hiking all over Eastern Washington, from the Kettle Crest trail and Curlew Lake to Steptoe Butte and biking the John Wayne trail.

“I’ve travelled to more than 80 countries and there is no place like Eastern Washington. It’s the best place to live in the world, and the best place to raise a family. We need to keep it that way.”

[10]

—Michael Baumgartner’s campaign website (2024)[11]

Michael Baumgartner did not complete [the profile publisher]'s 2022 Candidate Connection survey.

Baumgartner's website highlighted the following campaign themes:[12]:

Developing diverse domestic energy sources

Balancing the budget

Creating jobs through decreasing hindrances to businesses

Baumgartner said he was a "pragmatic conservative."[13]

Baumgartner's website highlighted the following campaign themes:[12]

Reduce Wasteful Government Spending

Excerpt: "I believe my background in economics will help, but more important is to have common sense and courage to stand up to the special interests and insist that wasteful spending end."

Stop Tax and Fee Increases

Excerpt: "We don’t need more taxes; we need to reduce spending."

Support Good Jobs

Excerpt: "If elected, one of my first actions would be to work across partisan lines, bringing together major employers like Avista with political leaders like the mayor and county commissioners to work together for sustainable job growth."

Improve Schools

Excerpt: "We must do more to improve public schools and ensure that students receive an education that will prepare them for happy, productive lives in a competitive 21st Century. The Legislature’s recent cuts to public schools and universities are endangering our state’s future."