Last modified: Monday, June 25, 2007 10:36 AM PDT Brown to step down as Oregon Senate majority leader By BRAD CAIN - Associated Press SALEM — Saying ‘‘it’s time to move on,’’ Senate Majority Leader Kate Brown told Senate Democrats Sunday night that she will step down as their leader at the end of this session and won’t run for re-election next year. The announcement came as somewhat of a surprise, given that Brown and her fellow Democrats are running both chambers of the Legislature for the first time in 16 years and have been able to enact many of their priority bills. Brown has been mentioned as a possible candidate for statewide office next year, such as secretary of state or attorney general. The Portland Democrat fended off questions about whether she might run for one of those posts. ‘‘Right now, I’m just focused on closing down the session,’’ Brown said. This is the fifth legislative session in which Brown has served as the Senate’s Democratic leader. Democratic membership in the Oregon Senate has grown from 10 to 18 since Brown assumed the post. She said she felt a strong sense of personal accomplishment with the passage of two of her top priorities this year — a domestic partnership law for same-sex couples and a bill to give Oregon women health insurance benefits for their birth control pills. ‘‘Whatever the future holds, I am committed to continuing the fight to strengthen our great state,’’ she said. Brown was first appointed to the Oregon House in 1991 and was re-elected twice before winning her Senate seat in 1996. Brown is known as a staunch Democratic partisan, yet she drew kind words from her political opposite, Senate Minority Leader Ted Ferrioli, who called her a tough competitor who nonetheless treats her opponents with respect. ‘‘Kate is absolutely great at what she does,’’ the John Day Republican said.