Ada County deputy clerk Phil McGrane scored his second prominent endorsement in a week Thursday, as former Gov. Phil Batt endorsed the secretary of state candidate.

“Over the years, I’ve had the utmost respect and confidence in the secretary of state’s office being led by Pete Cenarrusa and Ben Ysursa to be run with sound judgment, common sense and fiscal responsibility,” Batt said in a news release. “Phil McGrane is the right Republican to continue this tradition.”

Ysursa, a three-term secretary of state who is retiring this year, endorsed McGrane Tuesday.

McGrane is one of four Republicans seeking to succeed Ysursa; state Rep. Lawerence Denney of Midvale and former state legislators Evan Frasure of Pocatello and Mitch Toryanski of Boise are also on the May 20 primary ballot. State Rep. Holli Woodings of Boise is the lone Democrat in the race.

The secretary of state is the state’s chief elections officer. The secretary of state also holds one of five seats on the state Land Board — which controls an endowment that pumps $31.3 million a year into K-12, and provides endowment revenue for other beneficiaries.

Here’s the McGrane news release:

On the heels of Secretary of State Ben Ysursa’s endorsement, former Gov. Phil Batt today endorsed Phil McGrane to be the Republican Party nominee for secretary of state in the May 20 GOP primary. 

On endorsing McGrane, Gov. Batt said, “Over the years, I’ve had the utmost respect and confidence in the secretary of state’s office being led by Pete Cenarrusa and Ben Ysursa to be run with sound judgment, common sense and fiscal responsibility. Phil McGrane is the right Republican to continue this tradition. I encourage others to join Ben and me in voting for Phil McGrane for secretary of state.”

Commenting on receiving today’s endorsement, Phil McGrane said, “Gov. Batt is a leader I know the majority of Idahoans hold in great esteem and respect. His actions as governor are still today remembered as a model of strong leadership, sound judgment and most importantly fiscal responsibility. When elected as Idaho’s next secretary of state I will strive to serve the people of this great state with the same integrity, honor and commitment to even-handed fairness that marked the tenure of Gov. Phil Batt.”