Former Oregon Rep. Julie Parrish Goes Back to School

She shrugs off an effort to draft her as a secretary of state candidate.

Rep. Julie Parrish. (Thomas Teal)
By Nigel Jaquiss

Someone recently started a Facebook page directing voters to "Draft Julie Parrish for Secretary of State." But the former four-term Republican state representative from West Linn is heading in a different direction: She recently started classes at the Willamette University College of Law.

Parrish says she didn't build the Facebook page and would prefer to work behind the scenes on campaigns than run herself.

"If we [Republicans] don't find a decent candidate, I might throw my name in there," Parrish says, "but the wars I'm likely to be involved in the future are in the courtroom."

The Democratic field for Oregon secretary of state is robust, with Jamie McLeod-Skinner of Terrebonne, state Sen. Mark Hass of Beaverton and state Rep. Jennifer Williamson of Portland competing. The most frequently mentioned GOP possibility is former state Rep. Rich Vial of Hillsboro, who is now deputy secretary of state.

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