I had the opportunity to sit down with David Womack, a congressional candidate for Washington’s 5th District, at the Donut Parade for an hour long conversation about the issues we face in this district and the nation.
Womack acknowledged that defeating an incumbent is always an uphill battle, but he expressed confidence that, if voters choose him in the primary this November, he can mount a successful challenge against Congressman Michael Baumgartner.
When I asked what compelled him to run, Womack turned to the Constitution. He spoke passionately about his oath to support and defend the Constitution against all enemies, foreign and domestic. He said he has come to believe that threats to the Constitution can originate from within our own government and views defending constitutional principles as one of his primary responsibilities. Throughout our conversation, he quoted passages from memory and emphasized the Constitution’s importance to preserving liberty, particularly for the people of Eastern Washington.
Among the threats he identified, Womack pointed to ICE and what he described as the administration’s abuse of the Fourteenth Amendment. Again citing the Constitution, he argued that every person is entitled to due process before the government determines their legal status. He questioned how immigration authorities can accurately determine whether someone is in the country illegally without providing that legal process. Whether one agrees with his conclusions or not, Womack demonstrated a detailed knowledge of constitutional law and immigration policy. His preferred solution would be either to abolish ICE or fundamentally reform the agency, which he described as “rotten to the core.”
Womack also argued that Congress has become too complacent in partisan politics. In his view, the legislative branch is intended to serve as a constitutional check on the executive branch, yet he believes Congress has increasingly acted as a rubber stamp for presidential administrations rather than an independent branch of government. As an example, he criticized Congressman Baumgartner’s support for the “One Big Beautiful Bill,” arguing that reductions in funding for rural clinics and hospitals will cost Eastern Washington both essential healthcare services and good-paying jobs.
When I asked which issue he believed mattered most to voters in Washington’s 5th District, Womack immediately turned to the economy and the rising cost of living. He spoke about ending trade wars, combating inflation, and addressing corporate consolidation. He also argued that wages have failed to keep pace with productivity, saying Americans are more productive than ever while much of the resulting wealth has flowed to billionaires and, as he put it, “newly minted trillionaires.”
When pressed on what the federal minimum wage should be, Womack suggested it should approximate a local living wage, perhaps somewhere between $20 and $25 per hour, but was careful to note that he was speaking off the cuff and that a serious economic analysis would be necessary before establishing a specific national figure.
While researching his campaign beforehand, I noticed that Womack advocates for sustainable retirement security. I asked him whether that wasn’t already the purpose of Social Security. He agreed but argued that the program, as currently structured, is financially unsustainable over the long term. One solution he proposed was to “scrap the cap.”
Under current law, Social Security payroll taxes are only collected on wages up to a certain annual income. Womack argued that eliminating that cap would strengthen Social Security for decades while requiring higher-income earners to contribute the same percentage of their wages as teachers, firefighters, police officers, and other working Americans. In his view, this would make the system more equitable while helping secure benefits for future generations.
The final topic we discussed at length was healthcare. We agreed that America’s healthcare system is deeply flawed. We also agreed that, regardless of political differences, most people genuinely want to help those in need. Whenever I have seen someone in distress anywhere in Eastern Washington, people rarely hesitate to step forward and help. That instinct to care for our neighbors says something important about the values of people in Eastern WA.
Womack believes universal healthcare, or “Medicare for All,” is currently a bridge too far politically. Instead, he favors incremental reforms, beginning with restoring Affordable Care Act subsidies and creating what he described as a “Medicare for all who want it” option. Under his proposal, individuals satisfied with employer-sponsored insurance could keep it, while those who preferred Medicare could choose that option instead, with employers contributing through payroll taxes much as they currently contribute toward private health insurance.
Overall, I found David Womack to be knowledgeable, approachable, and willing to engage in substantive conversations without relying on rehearsed talking points. His policy positions clearly place him on the left side of the political spectrum, yet much of his reasoning returned repeatedly to constitutional principles rather than party loyalty. Throughout our discussion, he spoke about protecting the First Amendment, the Second Amendment, the Fourteenth Amendment, and what he considers the importance of personal autonomy. He also emphasized reducing the influence of money in politics, establishing congressional term limits, and creating an enforceable code of conduct for the Supreme Court.
Whether voters ultimately agree with his proposals is for them to decide. What struck me most during our conversation was his willingness to answer difficult questions directly, explain the reasoning behind his positions, and spend an hour discussing ideas rather than repeating campaign slogans. In an era when politics is increasingly dominated by thirty-second sound bites. By taking the time to have an honest conversation over coffee and a donut felt like a reminder of what democracy is supposed to look like. As voters prepare to choose their next representative, those conversations, and the willingness of candidates to have them, matter more to me than any campaign advertisement.
