Incoming Congressman Michael Baumgartner has tapped longtime state Sen. Mike Padden to mentor him in his new role.
“In addition to being a great friend, probably my favorite thing about Mike is that he was the first to cast his electoral vote for Ronald Reagan,” Baumgartner said in a statement Wednesday. . “I am very pleased that Mike will be advising on policy and helping us serve voters across Eastern Washington.”
Padden, who announced his retirement from the state Legislature in April, will become a senior advisor in Baumgartner’s Eastern Washington office in January. He said he would like to continue contributing to the region.
Mr. Padden was first elected to the state House of Representatives in 1980 and represented Washington’s 4th Legislative District for 15 years. He returned to Congress as a senator in 2011 after serving multiple terms as a Spokane County District Court judge.
“I would be happy to do that,” Padden said. “The time you would have spent watching soap operas will be significantly reduced.”
Baumgartner and Padden have a bit of a history. The longtime Spokane Valley lawmaker served as Baumgartner’s campaign chair while he ran for Congress, and the two worked together for seven years during their time in the state Senate.
Padden said the move to the federal level will be some adjustment for both countries. Baumgartner now represents a much larger district than he did in his position as a state senator, with many more fellow elected leaders to build relationships with through several different processes.
Nevertheless, Padden said he believes Baumgartner is qualified for the job and looks forward to supporting the next congressman over the next two years.
“It’s a different world and a lot of people are in a different system,” Padden said. “But I think he has a unique ability to do really well.”
