The ding dongs Michael Baumgartner will hear this weekend won't be from ringing the doorbells of potential voters.

They will be wedding bells.

(OK, that was dumbest lede ever, sorry.)

Republican Michael Baumgartner will get a break this weekend from the state's costliest legislative race to get married.

He and his fiancee, British citizen Eleanor Mayne, aren't just going to the Courthouse. They're getting hitched in front 200 or so people on Sunday at the Cathedral of Our Lady of Lourdes in downtown Spokane. Reception to follow at the Spokane Club.

The unusual timing, Baumgartner said, is related to Mayne's citizenship. She was granted a fiance visa in August, giving them three months to make it official. 

Baumgartner acknowledged at a debate that will air tonight on KSPS that wedding planning has taken him from the campaign trail. But he says he doesn't regret having to take time from the contentious race.

"I'm excited to be getting married to the love of my life," Baumgartner said after the debate.

The race between incumbent Democratic state Sen. Chris Marr in the Sixth Legislative District has been highly contentious. Both sides accuse the other unfair, negative campaigning.

Baumgartner said he met Mayne when both worked for Civilian Police International, a company that had a contract to run a wheat seed distribution program in Afghanistan's Helmand Province. Baumgartner was there from December 2008 until August 2009.

As an aside, you may have noticed a photo (at left) of an easygoing Baumgartner showing up in your mailboxes on mailers for Marr.

Baumgartner said it was the picture he and Mayne used for their wedding announcement. The uncropped version includes Mayne. Marr said Wednesday that the picture was found on the Internet and that he's surprised it was used as wedding material because the uncropped picture also shows the couple armed with what appears to be an AK-47 assault rife.