Dennis Richardson sworn in as Oregon's new Secretary of State

Salem, Ore. — The first Republican elected to Oregon State office since 2002 was sworn in on Friday.

Southern Oregon’s Dennis Richardson is now Secretary of State.

The veteran, lawyer and lawmaker now holds one of Oregon’s top spots.

While he has several goals, he hopes voters will forget which party he represents and feel confident he’s serving the state to the best of his ability.

Richardson’s run as Secretary of State is already causing some controversy.

He’s named Leslie Cummings Deputy Secretary of State.

Cummings resigned from the Oregon Employment Department in 2013 after she was accused of nepotism and wasting millions in public money.