GOP state senator from Spokane seeks Maria Cantwell's U.S. Senate seat
SEATTLE -- A junior Republican state senator from Spokane is set to announce his candidacy for the U.S. Senate becoming the first GOP candidate to try to challenge Democrat incumbent Maria Cantwell for a seat she's held for more than a decade.
Sen. Michael Baumgartner will announce his candidacy on Monday, King 5 reported Friday evening.
"We do need jobs growth here, we're not going to get it from the policies of Maria Cantwell, which is going to environmental extremism, and regulatory extremism, that's not what America was built on," Baumgartner said.
Baumgartner is the first Republican to throw his name in the race, but he is likely won't remain alone.
Republican Rep. Dave Reichert continues to consider a run. Reichert has defeated strong challenges from Democrats in his district in King and Pierce counties, even fending off a blue wave that got President Barack Obama elected. Former Bloomberg anchor Phillip Yin also told King 5 he is preparing to run for the office.
Baumgartner was elected to the state Senate in 2010, ousting a Democrat incumbent in one of the most expensive legislative races in history. He has served one session in Olympia.
Baumgartner was born in Pullman, attended Washington State University before going to Harvard and launching a career in international policy, working in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Cantwell won her U.S. Senate seat in 2000 by beating incumbent Republican Slade Gorton. She has trumped all other challengers since then. In 2006, she beat Mike McGavick with 57 percent of the vote.
Through June of this year, Cantwell has $2.7 million in the coffers, according to federal filings. In 2010, Baumgartner raised $450,000 for his race, state records show.
The Spokane Republican says he will focus his campaign on foreign policy and the economy. Baumgartner's platform for U.S. Senate includes supporting a balanced budget amendment, repealing health care reform and speeding up the withdrawal of troops.
