Merkley visits Molalla on 100 Towns Tour

Molalla Pioneer
by: Bethany Monroe
July 7, 2008

U.S. Senate candidate Jeff Merkley made a campaign stop in Molalla Sunday afternoon to greet area residents and answer their questions.

Merkley, a Democrat, will oppose incumbent Senator Gordon Smith in the November election. Merkley is currently the Oregon Speaker of the House.

“Ten years ago I decided to run for the legislature because I had a newborn and a two-year-old and I thought we needed a better education system for our children,” Merkley said.

Merkley, 51, was born in Myrtle Creek, Ore. and grew up in Roseburg. He now resides in Multnomah County.

Merkley’s stop in Molalla was part of his 100 Towns Tour for Change campaign. He plans to visit 100 towns across the state before voters cast their ballots in November.

“This is town 35 on a 100-town chain,” Merkley said.

Molalla was Merkley’s fourth and last stop of the day, after visits to Milwaukie, Gladstone and Canby. He greeted rodeo attendees at the Buckeroo grounds before meeting with Molalla locals at Long Park, where he gave a short speech and answered citizens’ questions.

Merkley was accompanied by Jim Gilbert, a Molalla-area farmer running for the District 18 seat in the Oregon House of Representatives.

“The thing I value about Jeff is he’s such a down to earth guy,” Gilbert said. “He gets stuff done … I think Oregonians owe a huge debt to Jeff in getting Measure 49 on the ballot.”

Gilbert said Merkley was instrumental in convincing him to run for representative. He said he supports Merkley for his commitment to education and farmers’ land rights.

Molalla residents asked the candidate about his views on liquefied natural gas pipelines, nuclear energy, immigration, government spending and other hot topics.

Merkley said he opposes LNG and would like to see Oregon pursue alternative energy sources, such as sunlight, wind and waves.

“I feel like if California needs more gas, they ought to put the terminal in California,” Merkley said.

He listed his top priorities as stopping American jobs from being outsourced to foreign countries, ending dependence on foreign oil, ending the war in Iraq, insuring that all Americans have access to affordable healthcare and “restoring the integrity of the U.S.” by fighting to uphold the Bill of Rights.

“It really matters who we send to the U.S. Senate,” Merkley said. “I fight for the issues families face around the kitchen table.”

Posted July 22, 2008
In the News