Trump endorses Baumgartner, attacks Conroy in Oval Office video
President Donald Trump reiterated his “complete and total endorsement” for U.S. Rep. Michael Baumgartner in a video posted Monday to the president’s social media site, Truth Social.
In a video recorded from the Oval Office, Trump called Baumgartner a “tremendous guy,” a “spectacular person” and said the congressman was a pivotal vote for the 2025 tax and spending package, the Big Beautiful Bill.
“Really, he did a record job and everybody’s talking about him, he’s respected down there,” the president said.
“And one of the things he fought the hardest for is U.S. border security, where we have the strongest border that we’ve ever had,” Trump added. “And he was a strong supporter for no tax on tips, no tax on overtime, and no tax on social security for our great seniors. He is a winner.”
The endorsement is not new – Trump took to social media to praise Baumgartner in November and again just before the August primary, saying at the time that the congressman had his “Complete and Total Endorsement for Re-Election.” But it is the first time that the president has publicly gone after Baumgartner’s general election opponent, former diplomat Carmela Conroy.
“Carmela Conroy is a far-left Democrat who is on the same side as the left-wing lunatics in Olympia who created brand new state income taxes all over the place,” Trump said. “Carmela would give you the largest tax hike in history, and she’s very proud about it – I don’t get it, but she’s very proud.”
Within hours of when the video was published, Conroy seized the opportunity to ask supporters to donate to her campaign, arguing the attack was evidence that the historically reliably Republican seat was in play.
“Trump knows this seat is in play,” the Conroy campaign underscored in a fundraising email. “He never gets involved in races until the GOP is in real trouble – and that’s why he’s paying attention to Eastern Washington today.”
As he headed to a debate in Walla Walla, Baumgartner wrote in a text Monday evening that he appreciated the president’s support and was proud of the work highlighted in the endorsement video.
“President Trump is correct that an income tax would be terrible for the state of Washington and that Carmela Conroy is wrong to support the state income tax and other tax increases,” Baumgartner wrote, referring to his opponent’s support for the state’s tax on income of over $1 million.