Richard Freudenberg

Richard Freudenberg has served in the U.S. Air Force since 2004. Freudenberg earned a high school diploma from Moscow High School, a bachelor's degree from Washington State University in 1999, and a law degree from the University of Washington School of Law in 2003. His career experience includes working as an attorney.[1]

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

I have been honored to serve the people of Washington State and my country most of my adult life. I was born in Spokane. I attended Washington State University and graduated with a 4.0 GPA, summa cum laude. I then went to the University of Washington School of Law. After September 11, 2001, I wanted to serve. I joined the U.S. Air Force Judge Advocate General’s Corps in 2004, with assignments in-country and abroad. This included a deployment to Baghdad, Iraq in 2007 where I served on detainee detention reviews and insurgent prosecutions. I transitioned into the Washington Air National Guard at the 141st Air Refueling Wing from 2012 until I retired on May 1, 2026.

I have been practicing law in the federal system for almost 22 years. I worked on international agreements, met with senior Iraqi officials, and prosecuted insurgents. I led a legal office of 102 personnel at one of the largest Department of Defense installations with an annual budget of $700 million supporting a population of 80,000 people with 8,000 personnel and 140,000 students. I led legal services for the Washington Air National Guard in Eastern Washington for almost 14 years. I know when the law is being followed and when it has been broken. Upon election, I can immediately start leading toward real solutions and to hold those that have violated the law accountable.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

Healthcare – No one should die because they do not have health insurance, but that is happening right now. That must change. That is why I support “Medicare for all”. We pay into Medicare our whole lives while simultaneously paying for private insurance or living without useful insurance. Low-income individuals should have access to Medicaid. I support expanding Medicaid to accommodate those individuals that cannot afford private insurance.Affordability – The cost of living is unaffordable for too many people. We have a severe housing shortage, rising housing costs, insufficient incomes, and an economy that is leaving too many in the cold and unemployed. I support labor unions to help ensure our working class has a livable wage and benefits. We need more housing, a lower cost of living, and a path to re-employment. I support a public works program where people can work in exchange for public assistance with training, job skill development, education, housing, food, and childcare assistance. The purpose of our social programs should be to return people to work. People need a hand up, not a handout.Government Leadership and Trust – Compliance with the rule of law is critical for our people and our economy. We need to know that our elected officials will act morally, ethically, and legally. Corruption hurts the people, our public trust, investment, and a stable business environment. Our people and businesses should not fear elected leaders. We need to strengthen ethical rules on our elected leaders and hold them and their employees that break the law accountable. They work for us.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

Military Service - Our military personnel have been used as political pawns under the current administration. We need to support our military though leadership grounded in compliance with the rule of law, access to medical treatment when they are no longer on military orders, and timely line of duty determinations for our Guard and Reserves.

What organizations or individuals have endorsed your campaign?

Spokane County Democrats. 4th Legislative District Democrats.

Campaign websiteFreudenberg's campaign website stated the following:HealthcareNo one should die because they do not have health insurance, but that is happening right now. That must change.  That is why I support "Medicare for all". Medicare comes with deductibles through parts A & B. We pay into it our whole lives while simultaneously paying for private insurance or living without useful insurance. For qualifying low-income individuals, they would be eligible for Medicaid, that is Apple for Washington State. UnemploymentIf someone able-bodied is unemployed and needs social program support, there needs to be a work requirement for them under a public works program. The program should require work with training or education that would include support for child care and rent. The goal would be to make each person self-sufficient and productive members of society eliminating a cycle of dependence on long term social services. People need a hand up, not a hand out.  Affordable housing and homelessnessHousing is unaffordable for many Americans. We have a severe housing shortage, rising housing costs, insufficient income, and lack of access to medical care. We need lower costs on construction materials starting with removing many of the Trump tariffs, a living wage that does not require taxpayers to subsidize housing costs for people that are working full-time; and access to medical care through Medicare for all and Medicaid for low income individuals.  TariffsTariffs are taxes on us. The Trump tariffs have seriously harmed each of us and economic growth. The vast majority need to be removed. We need free trade to open up markets for our farmers and American innovation to thrive. ImmigrationWe need secure borders and to change the laws for comprehensive immigration reform. Our farmers and industries need lawful immigration for economic growth and prosperity. Those who have committed crimes need to go. Those that are willing to work in the United States and comply with our laws, should receive work permits and can apply for citizenship. Cost of LivingThe cost of living is too high and the unemployment rate has been rising. Some employment sectors are being devastated. One of the fastest solutions would be to eliminate the Trump tariffs. The economy needs to stabilize to keep inflation down and lower the cost of living. Government Leadership and TrustCompliance with the rule of law is critical for our people and our economy. We need to know that our elected leaders will act morally, ethically, and legally. Corruption hurts investment and a stable business environment. Businesses should not fear that upsetting The President could result in economic harm to their businesses. It is long overdue for Congress to reign in The President, his use of the Department of Justice to coerce businesses to comply with personalwhims, and use of his position to make money for himself and his inner circle.Iran WarThe only reason to go to war is if all diplomatic options have failed. If war becomes necessary, there must be clear objectives, a plan to achieve those objectives, and an exit strategy. None of those requirements were met with the Iran war. The Trump administration must be forced to make a strong deal where Iran does not have nuclear weapons and trade can flow freely in the region.Right to Bear ArmsThe Supreme Court has ruled law abiding citizens have the right to bear arms. I personally exercise that right. An individual should be able to protect themselves and their family.  I support that right so long as weapons are kept out of the hands of criminals or those that would use them for nefarious purposes. If citizens are going to carry a weapon, they need to be trained on the weapon and the rules for the use of force.  LGBTQIA+ RightsI fully support the legal and social rights of the LGBTQIA+ community. Everyone should be treated with dignity and respect and treated equally. All people should be free from discrimination. Everyone should feel safe and be free to experience life with access to the same benefits to include: protection from discrimination, access to healthcare, right to marriage, adoption, gender recognition, and expression. — Richard Freudenberg's campaign website (July 17, 2026)Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.