Tobias Read Appears Poised to Win Democratic Nomination for Secretary of State

If early results are any indicator, Read will advance to the November general election to face off with the Republican nominee.

GIVING BACK: Tobias Read looks on as Shemia Fagan speaks at a 2022 bill signing. (Brian Brose)
By Sophie Peel

State Treasurer Tobias Read appears poised to win the Democratic Party primary for Oregon secretary of state.

Early returns on Tuesday evening show Read with 71% of the vote, a 50-point margin over his strongest competitor, Sen. James Manning (D-Portland), who has just 19% of the vote. Barring a shocking reversal in the next tranche of ballots, Read will face off with the Republican nominee in the November general election—early returns suggest that will be state Sen. Dennis Linthicum (R-Klamath Falls).

A former state representative from Beaverton, Read won election as state treasurer in 2016 and won reelection in 2020. He was prohibited by term limits from running again for his current office. He also ran for governor in 2022 but lost to Tina Kotek in the Democratic primary.

The secretary of state oversees state elections, audits, the Corporation Division and the State Archives. Per the Oregon Constitution, the secretary of state replaces the governor in the event the governor leaves office early. That happened in 2015, when former Gov. John Kitzhaber resigned amid an influence-peddling scandal and Secretary of State Kate Brown replaced him.

The job is open because of former Secretary of State Shemia Fagan’s resignation in early May 2023 amid another influence peddling scandal, first reported by WW.

Kotek appointed former Portland City Auditor LaVonne Griffin-Valade to replace Fagan but Griffin-Valade chose not to seek election to a full term.

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