Governor says she’s chosen next secretary of state

SALEM, Ore. (AP) – Oregon Gov. Kate Brown said Friday she has made a decision on the next secretary of state and that she will be making a formal announcement ” very soon. ”

The governor told reporters she ” made an offer ” to a candidate, without elaborating further. She has committed to choosing a Republican who promises not to seek re-election in 2020.

Brown said she wants the secretary of state to focus on overseeing the election, not on running for office. The position is the state’s second-highest office, behind the governor.

The new secretary of state would succeed the late Dennis Richardson, a Republican who was elected to a four-year term in 2016. He died of brain cancer in February.