New Oregon Secretary of State Shemia Fagan was sworn into office Monday at a small, private ceremony in Dufur, joined by her two children, her fiancéand her aunt, who lives with them. KTVZ in Bend reports Fagan’s oath was administered on the steps of Dufur School by Judge Janet Stauffer, a Dufur resident. She later delivered her inaugural remarks from her fourth-grade classroom. At 39, she is the youngest woman ever elected to statewide office and the youngest Oregon statewide elected official in a generation.
In a press release, Fagan said that classroom had a special meaning for her.
Raised by a single father in Dufur and The Dalles, Secretary Fagan struggled early on, both at home and at school. Recognizing Fagan’s obstacles and her potential, her fourth-grade teacher at Dufur School invited Fagan to join his after-school chess club. That spring, Fagan represented Dufur at the Oregon State Chess Tournament and won the state championship for her division, the first girl to ever do so. These formative experiences inspired Secretary Fagan to choose Dufur School for her historic swearing-in ceremony.
In her inaugural address, Fagan thanked Oregonians for trusting her to be their guardian of democracy.
“Our communities are facing multiple crises that threaten their lives and livelihoods,” she said. “Oregonians deserve an ‘all hands on deck’ approach from their leaders. They will get that from me. As your Secretary of State, I am eager to get to work.”