‘Battle-tested’ Tri-City lawmaker jumps into crowded race for Newhouse seat
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- Kenenwick Republican and retired Army Lt. Col. Matt Boehnke will run for the 4th District.
- Boehnke frames campaign around military strength, economic growth, and energy independence
- He faces a crowded primary including Amanda McKinney and Jerrod Sessler.
A lifelong Tri-Cities resident and retired U.S. Army lieutenant colonel is jumping into the open race for Washington’s 4th Congressional District.
Kennewick Republican Matt Boehnke made the announcement Thursday, saying that Central Washington needs a “battle-tested” and “disciplined” leader who will “get results, make hard decisions and fight to protect our values and our away of life.”
“I have spent my entire life serving our country and our state, and I am ready to bring that same discipline, experience and leadership to the U.S. Congress and deliver real results for the real Washington,” he said in a statement.
Boehnke has made it clear he will “work with President Trump to make American prosperous again.”
They’ll do that by “strengthening our military, growing our economy, making elections secure and supporting energy independence,” he said.
The cybersecurity expert and educator is the third Republican to jump into what will be a very crowded midterm election to succeed six-term U.S. Rep. Dan Newhouse.
Newhouse to retire in 2027
Last month, Newhouse announced that he was ready to “pass the torch” and would retire at the end of his term in January 2027.
Candidates are now weighing their options to run this year, while about a half-dozen have already declared their intent to file in May.
Washington’s 4th Congressional District stretches from Canada to the Oregon border. The Central Washignton district encompasses the Tri-Cities, Yakima, Yakama Indian Reservation, East Wenatchee, Omak and Goldendale.
But Boehnke will have to compete against Yakima’s Amanda McKinney and Prosser’s Jerrod Sessler — both Republicans — for conservative votes in this year’s primary.
McKinney is the Yakima County commissioner who’s been endorsed by President Donald Trump and House Speaker Mike Johnson for the seat.
Sessler is a businessman and former regional circuit NASCAR driver who’s challenged the Sunnyside Republican the last two cycles.
He was endorsed by Trump in 2024, and came 6 percentage points short of ousting Newhouse, who was buoyed by Democrat voters in the general election.
John Duresky, a West Richland Democrat, and Devin Poore, an independent from East Wenatchee, are also actively campaigning for the seat.
A pragmatic conservative
Boehnke served two terms in the State House representing Washington’s 8th Legislative District before running in 2022 to replace then-Sen. Sharon Brown.
In office, he’s earned a reputation as a financial conservative interested in pragmatic policy solutions to thorny issues.
His focus has been on energy, technology, and workforce development.
He currently serves on the senate environment, energy and technology committee as ranking minority member as well as the higher education and workforce development, ways and means, rule and business, financial services, gaming and trade committees.
In 2024, he was selected by then-Attorney General Bob Ferguson to serve on a board that makes policy recommendations on emerging artificial intelligence technology.
The Kamiakin High School graduate spent more than two decades in the Army serving as a helicopter pilot. He retired in 2011, and moved back home with his wife to Kennewick.
But Boehnke spent three weeks in retirement before returning to work, a career that included a stint at the Energy Northwest nuclear plant and later, leading the four-year cybersecurity program at Columbia Basin College.
He joined the Kennewick City Council in 2016, and served two years before running for the Legislature.
Boehnke says he has a “proven conservative voting record” in the Legislature that shows he’s stood up to liberal policies that “only hurt Washingtonians.”
He opposed Democrats’ budget proposal last year that created billions in new taxes, and sponsored legislation to strengthen election security. Boehnke says he’s also advocated for “reliable energy and innovation over restrictive climate mandates.”
In 2021, he proposed a bill creating a framework to add 300,000 manufacturing jobs and double the number of small manufacturing firms across the state.
Boehnke’s campaign for Congress has already earned the endorsements of several Tri-City leaders. Among them include:
- Rep. April Connors, R-Kennewick
- Rep. Stephanie Barnard, R-Kennewick
- Sen. Nikki Torres, R-Pasco
- Rep. Mark Klicker, R-Walla Walla
- Rep. Skyler Rude, R-Walla Walla
- Sen. Perry Dozier, R-Waitsburg
- West Richland Mayor Fred Brink
- Pasco Mayor Charles Grimm
- Bob Shuetz, CEO of Energy Northwest
- The Lampson Family
This story was originally published January 23, 2026 at 6:05 AM.
