Spokane's Wild Congressional Race | Spokane News

Ten candidates clashed at Spokane’s central library in a fiery congressional forum to replace Michael Baumgartner, with Democrats and independents eyeing a rare chance to flip a long-red seat. Carmela Conroy, the 2022 runner-up, returned for revenge, while others like Bajun Mavalwalla went nuclear on ICE, calling for its abolition and criminalizing its leaders after his son’s arrest. Reformers like Danimus and Conroy echoed that sentiment, comparing ICE’s tactics to fascism, while Richard Freudenberg defended the agency’s role in fighting trafficking. Matthew Hayes proposed cutting federal funding until 2035, and Michael McGarr pushed for bipartisan compromise. On foreign policy, most condemned Israel’s Gaza actions, with some demanding aid be tied to human rights, others calling for an immediate halt—Mavalwalla even labeled it genocide. Transgender rights sparked debate, with some dismissing it as a political wedge, others insisting federal enforcement is non-negotiable. Listen in comfort:Get a discount on a Soli Pillow: http://solipillow.com/discount/dnn. Advertise on DNN:[email protected] This is an automated, high-level news summary based on public reporting.Report issues to [email protected]. View sources & latest updates:https://sources.thednn.ai/e50394f58c514f28