Fellow Democrat Pete Sorenson, another Willamette Valley Democrat who did run for governor in 2006, predicted that Walker would have a hard time raising money for her campaign. A poll done by Mike Riley in late 2005 showed Walker and several other Democratic challengers in single digits. Another factor that loomed over Walker's gubernatorial candidacy was the possibility that former two-term Governor John Kitzhaber might enter the race. A December 1, 2005 article asserted that Kitzhaber was considering challenging his successor, Kulongoski. Walker said "I wouldn't run against John Kitzhaber. That's the deciding factor." On January 13, 2006, Kitzhaber said that he would not enter the race, leaving the door open for a possible run by Walker. However, Walker announced on February 1, 2006 that she would not seek the office, but would instead listen to voters in her State Senate District and run for re-election. Walker, a sexual assault victim, is partially responsible for forcing former governor Neil Goldschmidt to admit publicly that he had a sexual relationship with a 14-year-old girl in 1975 which lasted three years. Goldschmidt was Mayor of Portland at the time the relationship took place. Walker received the information from "Portland Tribune" Columnist Phil Stanford about the scandal, though it reportedly was not enough proof to go public. Walker was a longtime critic of Goldschmidt and tried unsuccessfully to prevent his appointment to the Oregon State Board of Higher Education in January 2004. A few months later, Walker passed the documents she had received from Stanford to a "Willamette Week" newspaper reporter. On May 6, 2004, Goldschmidt confessed publicly to the relationship after being told that an article in "Willamette Week" was going to be printed about the scandal. The story appeared in the paper less than a week later, and revealed that close friends and colleagues had kept quiet about the relationship for 30 years. Goldschmidt subsequently resigned from the Oregon State Bar and the Board of Higher Education. At the conclusion of the 2007 legislative session, Walker announced her candidacy for Oregon Secretary of State in 2008. She finished third in the Democratic primary to Kate Brown and Rick Metsger. In 2009, Walker was nominated by Governor Ted Kulongoski to a four-year term as chair of Oregon's Board of Parole and Post-Prison Supervision. She resigned from the Oregon State Senate on July 12, 2009, to begin her new position. In September of that year she withdrew herself for consideration for the position on the board prior to confirmation by the Oregon Senate.