Flynn won't run for secretary of state

"Washington Secretary of State Ralph Munro’s successor won’t be another Kitsap County resident. The county’s auditor, Karen Flynn, said Monday that she has decided against running for secretary of state this year, when Bainbridge Island resident Munro is expected to retire.“I have determined that despite a great outpouring of support and encouragement, I would prefer to devote the energy and resources necessary to run a statewide campaign to the position I currently hold,” Flynn said in a prepared statement.Flynn wouldn’t immediately comment Monday morning when asked whether Thurston County Auditor Sam Reed’s claim that she wouldn’t run was true. Flynn said she would speak first with her supporters.Reed is considered the Republican frontrunner for secretary of state. Flynn deflected attention from herself to Snohomish County Auditor Bob Terwilliger, a fellow Democrat, whom she said is “an excellent choice for secretary of state” and who offers “an unmatchable background as a local government official, an attorney and a skilled administrator.”Terwilliger hasn’t made his intentions public yet. However, Flynn indicated he will officially announce his candidacy later this month.Flynn’s four-year term as auditor expires in 2002. She said she will continue to work on issues of campaign finance reform, public access to records and the influence of money on state initiatives through her current post and in statewide affiliations. Flynn was president of the Washington State Association of County Auditors in 1998. “My initial interest in exploring a run for this important position was to continue my commitment and belief in public participation in our electoral process” and to ensure that state government “remains accountable to its citizenry,” Flynn said. After an exploratory committee looked at a possible race for Munro’s post, Flynn decided not to go ahead with it."

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