Oregon Secretary of State Dennis Richardson said on Monday that he will not run for governor in 2018.

There had been speculation Richardson could consider a run, after he became the first Republican to win statewide office since 2002. He also ran unsuccessfully against then-Gov. John Kitzhaber in 2014. But Richardson put those rumors to rest on Wednesday.

"I'm not running for governor," Richardson said. "I'm focused on being the best secretary of state I can be."

Richardson said he had "not really" been thinking about running for governor, but decided to make that explicit now that other Republican candidates are testing the waters or filing to run.

Rep. Knute Buehler, a Republican doctor from Bend, announced earlier this month he's running for governor. Gov. Kate Brown, a Democrat from Portland, has yet to declare whether she plans to seek reelection. But she has been campaigning since soon after her election in November.

Buehler is a moderate, pro-choice Republican. Richardson is a social conservative, so his decision to sit out this election could free up space in the Republican primary for other candidates to challenge Buehler from the right.

"My focus is on the job I was elected to do," Richardson said.

-- Hillary Borrud

503-294-4034; @hborrud