Merkley takes the fight to Gordon Smith

Merkley campaigns on Smith's home turf
The East Oregonian
By Phil Wright
May 4, 2008

With election ballots hitting post offices Friday, Democratic Senate hopeful Jeff Merkley campaigned in Pendleton, hometown to Republican Gordon Smith, the man Merkley hopes to unseat in the U.S. Senate.

Merkley met with postal workers before taking lunch at the Great Pacific Wine and Coffee Company on Main Street. There he spoke one-on-one with potential voters.

He said it's been a long campaign, but he's still enjoying the work.

While Merkley can seem stiff behind a podium, in more intimate settings he seems focused, intense and even passionate. Between bites of a roast beef sandwich, Merkley talked quickly on several topics, almost as if the next idea in his mind couldn't wait to get out.

He criticized Smith for supporting the North American Free Trade Agreement, which Merkley said cost Oregon 70,000 manufacturing jobs. He said 80 percent of Americans are either holding the line or worse off then they were 10 years ago, while the upper 20 percent have gotten richer.

"That is not the way to build a nation in which everybody thrives," he said.

He addressed the need for an overhaul of Veterans Affairs, which is backlogged with claims from American troops returning from fight the Iraq War and terrorism in Afghanistan.

"We got it completely backward - we were fast to go to war and reluctant to take care of our veterans," Merkley said.

And if elected he said he would push for a new G.I. Bill to give free college tuition to the children of American troops who have died in combat, a proposal he helped get through the Oregon Legislature.

Before he can face Smith in the November election, however, he has to defeat Steve Novick and perhaps outlier Candy Neville for the Democratic slot.

Merkley was the early front-runner among Democrats before Novick took that spot. Merkley even dropped to as low as No. 3 in some polls, coming in behind Neville.

But over the last five weeks Merkley's campaign has edged within a couple of percentage points of Novick in what amounts to a statistical tie.

Merkley spokesman Mike Westling said part of the battle may be overcoming the long shadow the Democratic presidential campaign is casting.

In at least part, the presidential campaign is about who seems different and not a political insider.

In this race, Novick seems different, while Merkley has gained a reputation of being part of the political establishment.

Arguably, the opposite is true. Novick has been a lobbyist and political consultant for years. Merkley was born in Myrtle Creek, the son of a millwright. Merkley said his mother was nearly fear-stricken when his family had to move to Portland.

Merkley said his family's small town values have stuck with him. He said on this campaign he's found most Oregonians want the same things - family-wage jobs, an affordable home, a good education for children.

"Which means we have a tremendous amount in common in every corner of the state," he said.

Merkley said he's seen his message resonate with voters who also want to keep jobs in Oregon, stop the war in Iraq and elevate the U.S. as a standard bearer for human rights.

He said he's the person who can deliver the leadership to help make that happen.

Now the voters will decide is he's that candidate.

Posted May 4, 2008
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