Trump Endorses Baumgartner in Washington’s 5th District Ahead of Aug. 4 Primary

Trump backs first-term Republican Rep. Michael Baumgartner for re-election, urging voters in Washington's 5th Congressional District to turn out on Election Day, Tuesday, Aug. 4.

First Published: August 3, 2026, 2:36 PM ET

WASHINGTON D.C. — Donald J. Trump endorsed Representative Michael Baumgartner, the first-term Republican from Washington’s 5th Congressional District, for re-election as a state primary nears.

Trump praised the former Spokane County treasurer’s record on taxes, energy and border security. He framed the vote as a test of turnout one day before Washington’s primary. The endorsement carries the president’s full weight in a district long held by the Republican Party.

“Michael Baumgartner has my Complete and Total Endorsement for Re-Election,” Trump said in the post, urging supporters to “GET OUT AND VOTE.”

The message lands as Trump continues to shape down-ballot races through direct appeals to his base, a strategy that has reordered Republican primaries since 2016.

Here is the full post on truthsocial: “Congressman Michael Baumgartner is an incredible Representative of Washington’s 5th Congressional District! Michael served as the Treasurer of Spokane County for six years prior to becoming a distinguished and Highly Respected Congressman. In Congress, he is working hard to Champion our Amazing Farmers and Ranchers, Cut Taxes and Regulations, Unleash American Energy DOMINANCE, Promote MADE IN THE U.S.A., Keep our Border SECURE, Stop Migrant Crime, Strengthen our Military/Veterans, and Protect our always under siege Second Amendment. Michael Baumgartner has my Complete and Total Endorsement for Re-Election. Election Day is Tuesday, August 4th. GET OUT AND VOTE FOR MICHAEL – HE WILL NEVER LET YOU DOWN! Find your Voting Location here: https://swampthevoteusa.com/washington/” on August 3, 2026 at 6:27 PM ET.

This is Trump’s 27th message released today, and the last post was one minute ago, and it is not part of a thread. On average, Trump produces 18 posts per day since his inauguration on January 20, 2025. The move fits a broader pattern in Trump’s recent messaging, with 90 of his 483 posts over the last 30 days classified as Elections posts.

Baumgartner assumed office on January 3, 2025, succeeding Cathy McMorris Rodgers, who represented the district for two decades according to wikipedia.org. He served as the 28th Spokane County treasurer from 2019 to 2025 and sat in the Washington State Senate from 2011 to 2019 according to wikipedia.org. Born in Pullman in 1975, he earned a degree in economics from Washington State University and a master’s in public administration from Harvard University according to wikipedia.org.

Trump directed voters to a Republican National Committee turnout page by mentioning the source (see swampthevoteusa). Primary Election Day in Washington is Tuesday, August 4, with early voting having started July 17 and the registration deadline set for July 27 according to swampthevoteusa.com. Washington uses a top-two primary, in which the two leading candidates advance to November regardless of party.

For voters in eastern Washington, the endorsement raises the stakes in a race that helps determine control of a narrowly divided House. A strong showing would cement Baumgartner’s hold on a seat that has anchored Republican strength in the region for a generation. A weak result would signal vulnerability heading into the general election.

Trump has intervened in Washington congressional contests before. His endorsements have moved primary electorates across the country, and the district itself has stayed in Republican hands through McMorris Rodgers, who won repeatedly by double-digit margins according to wikipedia.org. Baumgartner captured the open seat in 2024 after she retired.

Washington voters will render the next decision at the ballot box on August 4, 2026, when the top-two primary sets the November field. No debate or additional campaign event tied to the endorsement has been announced.

Presidential endorsements in Washington’s Inland Empire carry a long history. The 5th District seat traces to Thomas Foley, the Spokane Democrat who rose to Speaker of the House before losing his seat in the 1994 Republican wave, the first sitting Speaker defeated at the polls since 1862 according to wikipedia.org. McMorris Rodgers then held the seat for 20 years, building the durable Republican advantage that Trump now seeks to preserve through his backing of Baumgartner.