New Merkley TV Spot: Even Jeff's Daughter Knows Why Gordon Smith is Attacking Merkley

Merkley Will Fight For Kids, Families, Not Special Interests

Today Jeff Merkley's campaign for U.S. Senate released a new television ad featuring Merkley's ten year old daughter Brynne. She knows exactly why Gordon Smith is attacking Jeff Merkley. It's because Merkley has plans to change Washington D.C. and fight for kids and families, not the special interests.

View the new ad.

Last week Smith launched false, negative ads attacking only Jeff Merkley because he is the strongest Democrat to bring change and the strongest to defeat Gordon Smith in November.

A new KATU-TV Portland News poll released last night conducted by Survey USA shows Jeff Merkley leading the Democratic race for U.S. Senate, 31% to 27%. Merkley has surged 20 points over the last month and has built a significant lead among women.

Late last week Gordon Smith began running negative ads falsely attacking only Merkley and ignoring Steve Novick. New polling from Survey USA and Rasmussen shows that Merkley is the strongest Democrat to face Smith in November.

As Oregon's next U.S. Senator, Jeff Merkley will take on the special interests and fight for hardworking Oregonians. He will take on the big insurance and drug companies to make health care more affordable and accessible for all Americans. He will end unfair trade deals that have cost Oregon nearly 70,000 manufacturing jobs and close tax loopholes for corporations that ship jobs overseas. And Merkley will end the war in Iraq, bring our sons and daughters home, and fulfill the commitment we have made to our veterans and men and women in uniform.

Jeff Merkley spent his early years in rural Oregon in communities where the children of loggers and mill workers learned the value of honest work, good neighbors, and strong families. Jeff earned scholarships and became the first in his family to go to college. He went on to serve as a national security analyst, first for the Pentagon and then for Congress. After returning to Oregon with his wife Mary, Jeff led Habitat for Humanity and worked to help low-income families purchase a home, start a business, or save for college.
Jeff Merkley lives in East Multnomah County with Mary, a registered nurse at Providence Portland Medical Center, and their two children, Jonathan age twelve and Brynne age ten.

Complete Script: "Just a Kid"

Brynne: I'm just a kid but even I can see that Gordon Smith's afraid of you dad.

Jeff: Brynne, what Gordon Smith is REALLY afraid of is CHANGE. The type of change I'll bring to Washington...

Brynne: ...with a new DEMOCRATIC president, too!

Jeff: We'll be fighting for kids and families and not the big special interests like Gordon Smith does

Brynne: And change means END THEWAR.

Jeff: Exactly the kind of change we need.

Brynne: You GO, Dad!

Jeff: I'm Democrat Jeff Merkley. And Brynne and I approve THIS message.

Brynne: Definitely

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Posted May 13, 2008
Press

Jeff Merkley was born in the small town of Myrtle Creek, Oregon, the son of a sawmill worker. He's fought hard for working families in Oregon and he's ready to help lead America.

As Oregon's Speaker of the House, Jeff Merkley led one of the most effective, efficient and progressive legislative sessions in Oregon's history - with big achievements for schools, ethics, health care, jobs, alternative energy, and protections for working families.

Discover why Jeff Merkley is ready to lead.

For years, Gordon Smith has given rich corporations and well-connected lobbyists in DC the upper hand - costing too many working families their jobs.

Jeff Merkley knows first-hand it's time to crack down on big corporations outsourcing American jobs and create economic opportunity for every Oregon worker right here at home.

Dive into the issues - and learn where Jeff Merkley will lead America.

Paid for by Jeff Merkley for Oregon