Freedom’s Watch dropped $336,033 against Merkley

The independent group Freedom’s Watch has spent $336,033 in Oregon in the past 10 days running ads against U.S. Senate candidate Jeff Merkley.

According to the Washington Post, the only race that the 501c3 group has spent more money on is Colorado's Senate race, where it has invested $659,212.

According to Freedom’s Watch spokesman Tim Pearson, this is the second ad buy against Merkley this election cycle.

“We’ve taken an interest in Oregon,” Pearson said. “If you look at where we’ve invested in this point, it’s a pretty good indication of where we think we can make a difference.”

Merkley’s campaign has attempted to turn Freedom’s Watch ads against his main campaign rival, Sen. Gordon Smith (R-Pendleton). Smith has been running as a moderate, touting his work done with Democratic lawmakers, but Merkley campaign spokesman Matt Canter said that the very fact that the conservative group has used their money to help Smith succeed shows that Smith is a conservative.

"While Gordon Smith tries to spread the 'Smith Myth' across Oregon, his conservative backers know the truth," Canter said.  "He hides from his record in an election year, but Smith is a reliable rubber stamp for the conservative agenda, voting with George Bush 90 percent of the time."

Freedom’s Watch also put dollars into congressional races in New Mexico, New Jersey, Alabama, Nevada and Illinois in the past week and a half.