Elected Washington State Officials
Rep. Michael Baumgartner
Congressman Michael Baumgartner is currently serving his first term in the U.S. House of Representatives where he represents the people of Washington State’s 5th Congressional District. Spanning an expansive area from Canada in the north to Oregon in the south and Idaho to the east, the district includes ten counties, making it the second-largest district in the state.
Raised among the Palouse wheat fields in Colton and Pullman, Washington, Michael is a proud graduate of Washington State University where he earned a degree in economics. He later earned a Master’s in Public Administration (MPA) with a focus on International Development from Harvard University.
Before coming to Congress, Michael served as a Washington State Senator, diplomat, and as the Treasurer of Spokane County. During his eight years in the State Senate, Michael was instrumental in advancing key initiatives, including the “Drain the Swamp” legislation, which successfully eliminated five state agencies to reduce government waste and inefficiency. Over the years, he has received numerous awards, such as 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.
From 2007 to 2008, Michael served as a U.S. State Department officer at the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad, Iraq, and later worked as a counternarcotics advisor on a U.S. government-funded program in Afghanistan, where he met his wife, Eleanor.
Living in Spokane with Eleanor and their five children, Michael and his family are actively involved in his community through youth sports, scouts, and Sunday School. The family enjoys outdoor activities, including hiking and camping on the Kettle Crest Trail and Curlew Lake, biking the John Wayne Trail, and visiting Steptoe Butte.
Rep. Dan Newhouse
Rep. Dan Newhouse
Representative Dan Newhouse is a lifelong resident of Central Washington and is honored to represent the 4th District in Congress. A third-generation Yakima Valley farmer, Dan brings real-world experience to Congress as a businessman and former state legislator ready to work hard in support of conservative solutions that encourage job creation and economic opportunity in Central Washington. Dan understands that looking out for taxpayers means that Congress must stay on budget and make the government work efficiently to fulfill its responsibilities.
Dan serves on the Appropriations Committee, which exercises jurisdiction on critical legislative issues for the 4th District.
Dan served four terms as a legislator in the Washington State House of Representatives, representing the 15th Legislative District from 2003 to 2009. In the Legislature, Dan earned a reputation as a principled conservative willing to work with colleagues to support policies that foster economic growth.
From 2009 to 2013, Dan served as Director of Washington State’s Department of Agriculture, where he listened to the concerns of Washington farmers and promoted the state’s agricultural resources.
Dan attended Washington State University, where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Agricultural Economics. Dan is also a graduate of the Washington Agriculture and Forestry Leadership Program.
Dan lives in Sunnyside with his wife, Joan. He has two adult children: Jensena, Devon and his wife Halley. The Newhouse family continues to operate an 850-acre farm where they grow hops, tree fruit and grapes.
