Gale was appointed to fill a vacancy at Secretary of State in December 2000 by Governor Mike Johanns. He was elected Secretary of State in 2002, defeating his Democratic Party opponent, Jay Stoddard.
In December 2000, Gale was appointed to serve as Secretary of State following Governor Mike Johanns' decision. In 2002, Gale was elected Secretary of State, outperforming his Democratic rival, Jay Stoddard.