Up the Capitol Steps: A Woman's March to the Governorship

Chapter 14: Secretary of State

131 chapter fourteen Secretary of State Election night is all about waiting, watching, nail biting, pacing, and moving between frowns and smiles. It is about early returns, political speculation, wine and cheese, hugs and hope. On November 6, 1984, for me, election night was about winning. Our campaign headquarters was decked out with streamers and balloons, posters and lawn signs. Even today, I can still recall looking across the room, watching the expressions of pride and excitement on the faces of my parents. I almost felt their pleasure more strongly than my own. I sensed I had given them a gift of parental bragging rights. They hugged my staff and shook hands with my supporters. It was a scene I treasured then and recalling it, even today, makes me a little misty. Frank was moving around the room, the senior politician and proud spouse. His familiar, strong laugh could occasionally be heard over the din of voices, television commentary, and telephones. Even understanding the risk of this run for higher office, Frank had encouraged me to jump. He had been right. Frank had accepted having a wife on the campaign trail, tolerated my hectic travel schedule and my many campaign distractions with good humor. My arrivals back home often resulted in honeymoon-like reunions. Now I couldn’t wait to return to being a full-time wife. On election night, Frank reconnected with me every ten or fifteen minutes, hugged me, and then continued to circulate. I sensed that he, too, was looking forward to again having a full-time partner. Election night ended with radio and television interviews, champagne toasts, a short thank-you speech to my staff and supporters, and finally an exhausted campaign crew locked the headquarters door and left clean-up chores until the next morning. That night, once I finally calmed down, I slept without worries about tomorrow’s debates, road trips, endorsement battles, or vote counts. The next morning, Frank, Dad, and I headed to the campaign headquarters. A telling image met us as we walked in. The dozens and dozens of blue and white balloons that had decorated the ceilings and walls just the night before now lay deflated, limp and 132 Up the Capitol Steps inanimate, on the campaign floor. The party was definitely over! The work of Secretary of State was about to begin. The campaign office would be closed. Final fundraising would take place to pay off our bank loan, late expenses, and staff salaries. And we would start planning my swearing-in ceremony. The first time I said “swearing-in ceremony” aloud I felt like a kid at Christmas. I chose the State Capitol Rotunda for the ceremony. The acoustics were difficult but the setting was impressive. Two huge staircases from the House and Senate chamber areas lead to the rotunda floor. Four beautiful historical murals adorn the walls. Overhead the ceiling dome rises to 106 feet. On the rotunda floor, directly below the dome, a large glittering gold replica of the Oregon state seal makes clear the authority of this place. Choosing a judge to administer the official oath of office could have been complicated. I had a number of friends on the bench. My clear choice, however, was State Supreme Court Justice Berkley “Bud” Lent, the judge who had performed our wedding ceremony ten years earlier. When I selected someone to fill the role of emcee for the ceremony, I called on my former legislative colleague Grattan Kerans. He was in the last days of his term as Speaker of the House and had, unfortunately, just lost his race for State Treasurer. He was a skilled speaker, well known to the political community, and I considered him a friend and ally. Although I would not officially take office until January 1, we scheduled the ceremony on Sunday afternoon, December 16, to avoid overlap with the opening of the 1985 legislative session. I felt after Democrats had waited one hundred and ten years to elect a member of their party to the office, we deserved some focused attention for this particular moment in Oregon history. Well, I need not have worried about press attention. I had selected the Portland Gay Men’s Chorus to perform the musical selections for the day’s events. I chose them for two reasons. Number one, they were the most outstanding chorus in Oregon. The second reason was much more personal. I had been a strong advocate for gay rights for a number...