JOSEPH — From his post working to strengthen judicial systems in Africa, Will Lathrop kept his eye on his native Oregon, and was increasingly distressed by what he saw.

Here’s what he saw in Oregon: “A drastic increase in lawlessness and a lack of leadership at the state level.… It was really hard for me to be overseas, working on building up other justice systems and working with governments to protect the poor from violence, when the state that I love … is just underwater. So I felt really duty-bound to do something about it.”

And here’s what he did: When Lathrop, who grew up in Wallowa County, returned to the United States after years working in Africa, he decided to run for Oregon attorney general. He’ll run as a Republican. He may be the first announced candidate for the post, although the filing period for state offices doesn’t open until Sept. 14.

The incumbent, Democrat Ellen Rosenblum, hasn’t said yet whether she intends to run for another four-year term in 2024.

After stints as a deputy district attorney in Yamhill and Marion counties, Lathrop started working in 2015 for International Justice Mission, an organization focused on human rights, law and law enforcement. His work for the organization took him to postings in Uganda and Ghana, where he prosecuted child traffickers and worked to protect widows and orphans against violent attacks by land raiders.

His work in Africa often stood in stark contrast with what he was observing in Oregon, he said. African nations “are becoming more sophisticated in their criminal justice systems, while Oregon is cannibalizing its criminal justice system.”

Lathrop said Oregon has been racked by crime and addiction, and efforts such as Measure 110, which decriminalized possession of certain drugs, have made matters worse.

“The attorney general didn’t really stand up and make strong statements to inform the public about what was going to happen if you started decriminalizing drugs,” he said. “So the downstream effect has been that there’s really no leverage to get convictions or interfere with the drug cartel; it’s like complete impunity.”

He said one of his priorities as attorney general would be “to start treating drug crimes and drug trafficking as statewide crimes, as organized crime.”

Lathrop, 45, graduated from Joseph High School. (He now lives in Newberg.) His parents, Mike and Annette Lathrop, still live in the county; Mike founded Double Arrow Veterinary Clinic and now owns a cattle ranch. Annette worked as a teacher.

Republicans have had difficulty finding statewide candidates for attorney general in recent years: The GOP’s 2020 nominee, Michael Cross, wasn’t a lawyer. (You don’t need to be a lawyer to serve as Oregon’s attorney general, but, regardless, Cross was thumped by Rosenblum by nearly 15 percentage points.)

No Republican has been elected attorney general in Oregon since 1988, when David B. Frohnmayer won a third term.

But Lathrop said he senses a desire for a change.

“As I just go around, meeting with people all day, anybody — left, right, center, business, unemployed — as I just listen to people, everybody is unified in Oregon on one thing: They’re unhappy with the state of Oregon.… They’re frustrated that the leadership is not responsive. I’d much rather be the person who’s new, who has fresh ideas, than somebody who’s coming in and selling the same old thing that hasn’t been working for some time now.”

A candidate for Oregon attorney general, Lathrop, 45, is running as a Republican and lives in Newberg.

Education: The Wallowa County native graduated from Joseph High School, earned a bachelor’s degree in politics and government, and earned his juris doctorate at Willamette University College of Law.

Experience: Deputy district attorney in Marion and Yamill counties; worked with International Justice Mission, a global human rights organization, in Africa, prosecuting child traffickers and rescuing child slaves.

Family: Wife, Arminda, who also graduated from Joseph High School, and a son, 7.

Parents: Dr. Mike Lathrop, founder of the Double Arrow Veterinary Clinic, and Annette Lathrop, a teacher.