Jeff Alworth: I'm (still) for Merkley

Posted by Carla Axtman on May 14, 2008

Blue Oregon's Jeff Alworth lays it all out:

The evidence that Merkley's the best candidate to run against him (Gordon Smith) is clear. The election won't be decided in Multnomah, Lane, and Benton Counties--voters there will back the Dem. It will be decided in rural and swing counties like Deschutes, Jackson, and Marion. The Dem doesn't have to carry these counties to win, but he must be competitive. Steve Novick has run a fantastic campaign, but he's run as a classic Portland liberal. The first order of business was to beat Merkley, and Steve has needed urban liberals to tip the scales. But where does he go in the general? Merkley has run his campaign with an eye toward Smith, and it will show in his rural support.

Jeff articulates one of the many reasons Jeff Merkley is the best candidate to defeat Gordon Smith: Jeff's statewide campaign has been built at the grassroots level and it touches every corner of the state.

Jeff is also the only candidate that has shown he's ready, willing and able to take the fight to Gordon Smith. From campaigning in Smith's hometown on the day that ballots went out to going hard after Smith on television, Jeff has already made it clear that he has Gordon Smith in his sights.

In fact, Jeff Merkley has Gordon Smith so worried, Smith is running attack ads against *only* Merkley, attempting to game the primary so he won't have to face Jeff one on one.

Read the rest of Jeff Alworth's excellent piece over at Blue Oregon.