In Washington’s 5th District, Republican Michael Baumgartner led Democrat Carmela Conroy by just one percentage point: 50.3% to 49.3% in election-night results. Two years ago, Baumgartner beat her by about 20 points. With results from tens of thousands of remaining ballots expected in the coming days, the outcome of the race remained uncertain.
Baumgartner, a former state senator and Spokane County treasurer, pointed to his political experience and the accomplishments of the Republican-controlled Congress. He supported tax breaks for tips and overtime, backed a ban on members of Congress trading stocks and promoted measures to restore salmon populations. Conroy, who previously served as a diplomat in New Zealand, Pakistan and Japan, called for limiting federal immigration authorities’ operations to border crossings and ports, and for repealing presidential tariffs. The district drew more attention in the fall amid expectations of Democratic gains nationwide; Baumgartner was endorsed by Donald Trump.
In Washington’s 4th District, Republican Amanda McKinney led Democrat John Duresky, 54% to 46%. McKinney, a Yakima County commissioner and former real estate finance specialist, presented herself as an “America First” conservative and had Trump’s support. Duresky, an Air Force veteran who served in U.S. Strategic Command and worked at an office on the Hanford site, said Democrats had already achieved their best result in two generations and noted that counting was not complete. Hanford, once a major U.S. nuclear site, now hosts federal agencies and contractors working to clean up the contaminated site and ensure its safety. Their work supports the Tri-Cities economy, while funding for the complex and environmental risks are frequent subjects of political debate.
Both candidates are seeking to replace outgoing Rep. Dan Newhouse, a Republican who voted to impeach Trump after the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol. McKinney supported Newhouse in the 2024 election but later called his vote a betrayal. Both candidates support a ban on stock trading by members of Congress and broadly back the H-2A temporary agricultural worker program. It is especially important in eastern Washington, where many farms and orchards need extra workers during harvest season. The program allows employers to hire workers from other countries when a shortage of local labor has been demonstrated; employers must meet wage and working-condition requirements, provide housing and arrange transportation. The program’s rules and working conditions remain controversial. McKinney supports the president’s deportation policies, while Duresky considers them immoral and contrary to American values.
Based on: Baumgartner, Conroy in strikingly close Eastern WA race for U.S. House