By Andy Hobbs

The Olympian

Washington Secretary of State Kim Wyman has been diagnosed with colon cancer and is undergoing treatment, according to an announcement issued Monday.

“My doctors have told me this type of cancer is not only treatable, but curable,” she wrote in a statement released Monday. “I expect to make a full recovery after undergoing chemotherapy and radiation treatment.”

Wyman, 54, said she will continue performing her official duties during treatment and recovery, and will provide updates on her newsletter “Wyman’s Wire.” The Associated Press reports that Assistant Secretary Mark Neary will assume responsibility for day-to-day operations when Wyman is out of the office for treatment.

Wyman, a Republican, was first elected secretary of state in 2012 and won re-election in 2016. She is the second female secretary of state in Washington’s history. From 2012 to 2016, she was the only Republican elected to statewide office on the West Coast.

Prior to becoming secretary of state, Wyman was county auditor for Thurston County, succeeding Sam Reed — whom she again succeeded as secretary of state.

The secretary of state is second in line behind the lieutenant governor for succession to the governorship. Among the top duties of the position are overseeing elections and registering corporations.