Dennis Richardson (politician)
Dennis Michael Richardson (July 30, 1949 – February 26, 2019) was an American attorney, businessman, and politician who served as the 26th Secretary of State of Oregon from 2017 until his death in 2019. Richardson was from Central Point, Oregon and served six terms in the Oregon House of Representatives as a member of the Republican Party. He represented House District 4, which included portions of Jackson and Josephine counties, and was the Republican nominee for Governor of Oregon in the 2014 election, losing to incumbent Democrat John Kitzhaber.
Dennis Richardson | |
|---|---|
| 26th Secretary of State of Oregon | |
| In office January 2, 2017 – February 26, 2019 | |
| Governor | Kate Brown |
| Preceded by | Jeanne Atkins |
| Succeeded by | Leslie Cummings (acting) |
| Member of the Oregon House of Representatives from the 4th district | |
| In office January 2003 – January 2015 | |
| Preceded by | Cherryl Walker |
| Succeeded by | Duane Stark |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Dennis Michael Richardson July 30, 1949 Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
| Died | February 26, 2019 (aged 69) Central Point, Oregon, U.S. |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse | Cathy Richardson |
| Children | 9 |
| Education | Brigham Young University (BA, JD) |
| Signature | |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance | United States of America |
| Branch/service | United States Army |
| Battles/wars | Vietnam War |
In 2016, Richardson was the successful Republican nominee for Oregon Secretary of State, defeating Democratic candidate Brad Avakian with 47% of the vote to Avakian's 43%. As of 2024, he is the most recent Republican to have been elected to statewide office in Oregon.