About Matt Hawkins

I was born in Spokane, Washington, and raised in a family of six boys and two girls, with parents who came up during the Depression. Lining up as the fourth of eight kids, we learned to adjust and get along, both within the family and the neighborhood.

We were taught about civic engagement and how to build strong homes and communities. Engagement meant stepping in, not just with words but through action. We learned that a good work ethic starts in the home, as we took on small projects to earn money while also visiting others in need and helping as volunteers.

We learned tolerance for others and the need to be respectful, regardless of age, gender, religion, or political belief. That did not mean we gave up our own beliefs, but that we made room for others to believe in whatever way they chose.

We took great pride in who we were, always trying to build a stronger name. The reminder was always offered up as we left home: "Remember who you are."

With a strong foundation in a K-12 program that reinforced the values of home and community, I attended BYU in Provo for further training in business finance and construction technology. Returning to Spokane, I built a business career across commercial real estate, restaurants, and education, alongside family life as a husband to Paula and father to ten children.

Throughout my lifetime I have watched a shift in what it means to be American. There was a time when people took pride in our founding principles and history, and both major political parties shared the same core American values.

Today we see a deep divide. To bridge it, we must return to a constitutional process that protects the desires of individuals and communities for generations to come. To support the Constitution, we first need to understand it, and that requires the ability to read and comprehend.

So we must restore education, so that learning is authentic and meaningful. Our freedoms can only thrive if we respect their origins, which are rooted in "Nature's God." We have inherited much from those who came before us, and if we serve as good examples, we can show others what is available to them if they want the same.

This journey is about restoring our ability to discern truth, and reclaiming our freedom to choose and to act.

In recent years I have become more actively involved in civic matters, reflecting on, and where necessary re-evaluating, what I learned in my youth. In 2024 I ran for Washington State Auditor to highlight both the actions needed and the pathways to achieve meaningful results.

Through that experience it became clear that the people of Washington State need better representation in their State Senate, organized by county, the same way the U.S. Senate is organized by state. From there it became clear that the challenge facing Washington is mirrored across the other forty-nine states, where state government has drifted into a raw democracy.

A lifetime of experience has taught me that while we can take pride in who we are, that pride can become a weakness if left unchecked. So I believe our conversations about the future must be framed within the Constitution, with a renewed emphasis on civic engagement. We may interpret the Constitution differently, much as we do with scripture, but we must always respect the need to seek out the truths it holds. That effort is essential to finding a resolution that lets us put those truths into practice, fulfilling the idea that the truth can set us free.