Washington’s 5th District House Race 2026

More than a thousand people gathered at B.A. Clark Park in Spokane for the city's fifth "No Kings" rally, part of an ongoing series of demonstrations against the Trump administration. Attendees carried signs criticizing the president, the economy, tariffs, gas prices, immigration enforcement, the war in Ukraine, and Rep. Michael Baumgartner, while advocacy groups and political campaigns tabled nearby. Organizer Cynthia Hamilton, founder of Spokane Indivisible, said the recurring rallies aim to build community and sustain activist momentum into the November midterms, emphasizing organizing and education alongside protest. The event reflects continued grassroots opposition activity in the lead-up to the midterm elections.

A new report from Washington's state hospital and community health associations projects hospitals will lose nearly $6 billion in revenue through 2033 due to federal Medicaid cuts enacted under last year's Republican-backed tax and spending law. Sen. Maria Cantwell and healthcare leaders warned the roughly $900 billion in nationwide cuts will raise ER wait times, premiums and uncompensated care costs. About 200,000 Washingtonians are expected to lose coverage by next year, partly due to new work requirements starting January 1 and the removal of coverage for refugees and asylees. Rural hospitals, including on the Olympic Peninsula, face the steepest losses, with clinics also bracing for major reimbursement shortfalls and reduced patient visits.

Washington state and local officials are drafting legislation to close "gaps" in the state's arson law, which currently punishes offenders the same regardless of how much destruction they cause. The effort follows a devastating wildfire season that destroyed hundreds of Spokane homes and displaced roughly 65,000 residents, including the Old Trails fire that caused more than $1 billion in damage and left Aaron Farinacci facing first-degree arson charges and a federal indictment.

Spokane County Prosecutor Preston McCollam says current law ties charges to the number of fires set rather than the scale of destruction, meaning an arsonist who burns one building or 100 faces the same single count. He wants an aggravated arson statute similar to those in California and Oregon, which impose harsher penalties based on damage totals or number of structures destroyed. State Sen. Marcus Riccelli plans to sponsor the bill alongside Attorney General Nick Brown's office ahead of the legislative session beginning in January 2027, as part of a broader package of wildfire-related proposals, including a separate rebuilding tax rebate already backed by Gov. Bob Ferguson.

A candidate questionnaire from The Denver Post offers a window into the competitive race for Colorado's 4th Congressional District. One contender, a retired Navy rear admiral and former Special Assistant to the President for South Asia, outlined priorities centered on lowering costs, balancing the federal budget, and curbing congressional corruption through term limits, age limits, and a ban on lawmakers trading stocks.

On policy specifics, the candidate called for ending tariffs, passing a comprehensive farm bill, and requiring insurers to reimburse rural hospitals more fairly. They said federal land in the district should not be a default target for new oil and gas leasing, favoring local input over blanket Washington mandates. On immigration, they backed stronger border security paired with legal pathways addressing labor shortages in agriculture and rural health care. They also urged more congressional oversight of executive actions, including unauthorized military engagements and federal spending. Incumbent Lauren Boebert and candidate Douglas Mangeris did not respond to the questionnaire.