State Sen. Michael Baumgartner will not seek re-election

SPOKANE, Wash. - In a post on Facebook Wednesday night, state Sen. Michael Baumgartner,( R-Spokane), says he will not seek re-election.

He wrote instead, he plans to run for county treasurer.

Baumgartner is finishing his second term as a State Senator, and unsuccessfully challenged Maria Cantwell for the U.S. Senate in 2012.

Recently, his wife suffered a miscarriage, and serving as county treasurer would allow Baumgartner to stay home rather than traveling to Olympia during the legislative session.

His retirement from the State Senate comes at a time when democrats are eyeing seats in eastern Washington in hopes of expanding their majority in the state legislature, and possibly even flipping Cathy McMorris-Rodgers' U.S. House seat.