Unusual number of Independents running to represent Eastern Washington in Congress

May 7-Filing week is almost over, and with it will close the chance for anyone hoping to run for office this year. With only a day left, most who are entering the fray already have done so.

Some politicians ended the day Thursday without any opponents, such as County Commissioner Amber Waldref and county commission-hopeful Suzanne Schmidt, or state Reps. Natasha Hill, D-Spokane, and Rob Chase, R-Liberty Lake.

A couple of incumbents are seeing a slate of challengers, such as state Sen. Shelly Short, R-Addy, who is facing two Republican challengers, Brandon Ray Medina and David Swoap, as well as Independent Ronald McCoy.

But no race has attracted as many political hopefuls as that to represent Eastern Washington in Congress. Incumbent Rep. Michael Baumgartner, R-Spokane, was first elected in 2024 from among the most crowded field for the seat in recent memory, with 11 candidates jumping in following former Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers’ surprise retirement announcement earlier that year.

This year’s race isn’t quite as crowded, but it’s still up there, with eight candidates hoping to unseat Baumgartner after his first term in office. This cycle’s crop of candidates is unique in its own way: four of the candidates are running as Democrats, including Carmela Conroy, Kevin Fagan, Bajun Mavalwalla and David Womack.

Another four are running as Independents, including Ann Marie Danimus, Matthew Hayes, Nate Powell and Kyle Ursey.

Since 2008, there have been a total of nine candidates running for the 5th Congressional District who didn’t identify with either of the two major parties, and most of them still listed a party preference of some kind, whether Libertarian, Constitution Party, or one candidate who listed “Trump Populist.” There are as many congressional candidates running as Independent in 2026 as there were in the prior 18 years.

Two of them are late arrivals in the race: retired physician Matthew Hayes, who made his first notable public appearance as a candidate at Bloomsday, and Kyle Usrey, the only candidate whose name hasn’t appeared at least once in The Spokesman-Review this year - aside from an April letter to the editor calling Baumgartner a “sellout” for supporting record military spending despite a surging national debt.

Usrey, who served as charter dean of the School of Global Commerce and Management at Whitworth University until his departure in 2007, moved back to Spokane in 2022. He believes this year’s surge of independent candidates is driven by exhaustion with Democrats and Republicans moving further to the left and right, respectively.

“The Republican Party drummed me out as a moderate, and there are no moderates in MAGA. And the leaders in the Democratic Party, such as Bernie Sanders and AOC and Mamdani, they’re socialists, and I’m not a socialist. I’m a capitalist with guardrails,” said Usrey as he referenced U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York and New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani.

The candidates

Here are candidates for Spokane County offices and legislative and congressional offices in districts that include Spokane County who filed to run for office as of 5 p.m. Monday. Filing continues through end-of-day Friday.

Congress, 5th District: Incumbent Republican Michael Baumgartner, Democrats Carmela Conroy, Kevin Fagan, Bajun Mavalwalla and David Womack; Independents Matthew Hayes, Nate Powell and Ann Marie Danimus.

Spokane County commissioner, 2nd District: Incumbent Democrat Amber Waldref.

Spokane County commissioner, 4th District: Republican Suzanne Schmidt.

Spokane County assessor: Incumbent Republican Tom Konis.

Spokane County auditor: Republicans Dale Whitaker and Michael Cathcart, and Democrat Callie Gee.

Spokane County clerk: Republican Dave Lucas and Democrat Elliot Robison.

Spokane County prosecutor: Incumbent Republican Preston McCollam and Danny Tarkenton, who listed no party preference.

Spokane County sheriff: Incumbent Republican John F. Nowels.

Spokane County treasurer: Incumbent Republican Mike Volz.

Spokane County District Court Judge No. 1: Incumbent Patrick T. Johnson.

Spokane County District Court Judge No. 2: Deanna Kathleen Crull and Mike Valerien.

Spokane County District Court Judge No. 3: Incumbent Jenny Zappone

Spokane County District Court Judge No. 4: Nicholas Ulrich and Michael R. Addams.

Spokane County District Court Judge No. 5: Incumbent Jennifer Fassbender.

Spokane County District Court Judge No. 8: Incumbent Richard M. Leland.

State House, District 3, Position 1: Incumbent Democrat Natasha Hill.

State House, District 3, Position 2: Democratic candidates Pam Kohlmeier, Luc Jasmin III and Donovan Arnold DeLeon.

State House, District 4, Position 1: Republicans Hillary Q. Pham and George Wagner.

State House, District 4, Position 2: Incumbent Republican Rob Chase.

State Senate, District 6: Incumbent Republican Jeff Holy.

State House, District 6, Position 1: Republicans Isaiah Paine, Suenn Davis, Jennifer Morton and Alan Nolan, and Democrats Julia Payne and Michaela Kelso.

State House, District 6, Position 2: Republican Jonathan Bingle.

State Senate, District 7: Incumbent Republican Shelly Short, Republicans Brandon Ray Medina and David Swoap, and independent Ronald McCoy.

State House, District 7, Position 1: Incumbent Republican Andrew Engell.

State House, District 7, Position 2: Incumbent Republican Hunter Abell.

State House, District 9, Position 1: Incumbent Republican Mary Dye.

State House, District 9, Position 2: Incumbent Republican Joe Schmick.

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This story was originally published May 7, 2026 at 7:23 PM.