PORTLAND, Ore. — In Tuesday’s race for Oregon Secretary of State, Democrat Shemia Fagan defeated Republican Sen. Kim Thatcher, according to the Oregonian/Oregon Live.
Both secretary of state candidates have extensive state government experience. Fagan, has been a state senator since last year and served in the state house for four years prior to that. Thatcher has served as a state senator since 2005.
Fagan reported raising more than $3.1 million from public employee unions and other liberal donors, while Thatcher reported raising and spending more than $1 million from timber groups, gun advocates and business organizations.
The secretary of state position is largely non-partisan, but Democrats have been eager to reclaim the seat since losing it to Republican Dennis Richardson in 2016. Republican Bev Clarno took over the office last year after Richardson passed away and vowed to not run for re-election.
With Fagan's win, along with Tobias Reed's win in the state treasurer race and Ellen Rosenblum's win in the attorney general race, Democrats now control all top statewide offices.
Fagan will be tasked with registering businesses, performing audits on government agencies, housing state archives and overseeing state elections. And if the governor resigns or dies, the secretary of state is next in line to take on the position.
Next year, the Oregon secretary of state office could play a key role in redistricting. If the state legislature fails to pass a plan or a court rejects it, the job will fall on the secretary of state.
Fagan has said that she would outsource redistricting efforts to an independent commission that will prioritize diversity and equity.