Foreign Policy for America Endorses Carmela Conroy for WA-05

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – September 22, 2026 

WASHINGTON D.C. - Foreign Policy for America announced today its endorsement of Carmela Conroy for election to Congress as the next Representative from Washington’s 5th Congressional District.

“Carmela Conroy has dedicated her life to serving our country, safeguarding Americans traveling abroad and protecting our interests under presidents of both parties,” said Andrew Albertson, Executive Director of Foreign Policy for America. “She knows the power of American diplomacy – negotiating on behalf of the American people – and the costs for families in the 5th District of reckless wars in the Middle East and tariff uncertainty. We’re grateful for her career of public service, and we look forward to working with her to restore sanity to Washington.” 

"For nearly thirty years I represented the United States in places where people watched what America did and decided whether they could trust us. That trust took generations to build, and we've spent the last few years throwing it away,” said Carmela Conroy. Our allies don't know if we'll keep our word. Our farmers here in Eastern Washington have lost markets because of it. I'm honored to have Foreign Policy for America's support, because they understand what I learned in the field: when America keeps its promises and leads with steady hands, Americans are safer and better off. That's the standing I want to help bring back." 

Carmela Conroy is a retired U.S. diplomat and former prosecutor who spent nearly thirty years in nonpartisan public service. A third-generation Eastern Washingtonian raised in Spokane, she worked four years as a deputy prosecuting attorney in Spokane County before joining the Foreign Service, where she served across Japan, New Zealand, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Norway. In Bamyan, Afghanistan, she advised the commanders of the New Zealand-led Provincial Reconstruction Team and negotiated a rehabilitation package that disarmed 700 militia fighters. As a regional refugee coordinator, she worked with UNHCR and the ICRC to keep Pakistan from expelling millions of Afghan refugees, and her team monitored $50 million in U.S. taxpayer-funded programs. She served as Consul General in Lahore from 2009 to 2011, keeping the post open and functional through the assassination of Punjab's governor and a diplomatic crisis over the detention of a U.S. contractor. She later chaired the Spokane County Democrats. Conroy has argued that the dismantling of USAID cost Eastern Washington lentil growers a fifth of their annual market, and that Congress must reclaim its constitutional authority over tariffs and trade. Now she is running to represent Washington's 5th Congressional District, where she will press for diplomacy as the tool of first resort and for a Congress willing to check executive overreach. 

Carmela joins other FP4A endorsed candidates: Rep. Gabe Amo (RI-01), Rep. Yassamin Ansari (AZ-03), Chris Backemeyer (NE-01), Rebecca Bennett (NJ-07), Rep. Don Beyer (VA-08), Daniel Biss (IL-09), Christina Bohannan (IA-01), Luke Bronin (CT-01), Rep. Gil Cisneros (CA-31), Paige Cognetti (PA-08), Cait Conley (NY-17), Rep. Chris Deluzio (PA-17), Zach Dembo (KY-06), Abdul El-Sayed (MI-Sen), Rep. Veronica Escobar (TX-16), Jessica Killin (CO-05), Dan Koh (MA-06), Nancy Lacore (SC-01), Rep. Mike Levin (CA-49), JoAnna Mendoza (AZ-06), Sen. Jon Ossoff (GA-Sen), Rep. Chris Pappas (NH-Sen), Tom Perriello (VA-05), Denise Powell (NE-02), Rep. Pat Ryan (NY-18), Rep. Adam Smith (WA-09), James Talarico (TX-Sen), Rep. Dina Titus (NV-01), Rep. Lauren Underwood (IL-14), Rep. Eugene Vindman (VA-07), and Randy Villegas (CA-22).

Foreign Policy for America is a nonpartisan advocacy organization working to strengthen support for principled American engagement in the world. We support policies that keep Americans safe and out of conflicts, advance prosperity for all, and are true to our country’s highest values. 

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