Dan Rayfield sworn in as Oregon attorney general

PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) -- Dan Rayfield was sworn in as Oregon's 18th attorney general in a late afternoon ceremony on New Year's Eve in Portland.

Rayfield, who worked his way through the Oregon legislature to win the seat that opened with Ellen Rosenblum's retirement, said there isn't any "other job I'd rather have."

In prepared remarks, the new attorney general said he "will always do my best to never lose sight of the trust and responsibility given to me by Oregonians. That trust will serve as a guiding light for me and my team as we navigate the day-to-day challenges of this work.”

He also noted how his life has come full circle since he was a young man.

“I am a firm believer that your worst moments in life don’t have to define who you can become," Rayfield said. "Twenty-seven years ago, I was 18 years old, standing before Judge Marco Hernandez as a young defendant in his courtroom. Judge Hernandez spoke sternly to me. He told me he never wanted to see me in his courtroom again. Today, I stood before the same man and took the oath of office to serve as Oregon’s 18th Attorney General.”

A graduate of Tigard High School, Rayfield went to Western Oregon University, then onto Willamette University's law school. He became a practicing attorney in 2006 and served in the legislature representing Corvallis and parts of Benton County. He was also Speaker of the Oregon House.

Rosenblum served as Oregon's attorney general for more than 12 years, and her retirement Tuesday capped 42 years in public service: eight as an Assistant United States Attorney, 16 as a trial judge, six as a Court of Appeals Judge, and 12.5 as Attorney General, according to a statement she released.