Ron Wyden

U.S. Senate candidate Jeff Merkley’s (D-Portland) campaign spokesman said Monday that Merkley had been a big supporter of the county timber payments, he just did not support the $700 billion bailout bill the county timber payments were attached to.

U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden voted against a $700 billion bailout package for troubled financial institutions Wednesday.

That split Oregon’s vote, with U.S. Sen. Gordon Smith voting for the legislation.

U.S. Sen. candidate Jeff Merkley (D-Portland) wrote a letter to U.S. Sen. Gordon Smith (R-Pendleton) Wednesday urging that both candidates promise that if they win the election in November they will hold a public forum in every Oregon county every year while they are in office.

U.S. Sen. Gordon Smith (R-Pendleton) released a new ad Monday warning rural voters that his opponent Jeff Merkley voted against several measures that Smith said would have benefitted rural Oregon.

Both partisanship and Beaver fans have something to celebrate this week in Oregon.  House Republican Matt Wingard shows his true colors and Senator Ron Wyden tries to keep the streets safe in rural Oregon.  Here are this week's Winners & Losers.

On October 2, a contingent of west coast Democratic senators will headline a fundraiser for Jeff Merkley (D-Portland) in his quest to join them in the Senate, according to an email invitation sent by the Merkley campaign Thursday.

If money raised is any sort of indicator on which party will hold the Speaker's gavel in Oregon's House of Representatives this coming January session it's really a no-brainer.  Democrat Majority Leader and likely next Speaker Dave Hunt is leading the charge for House Dems by raking in an enormous $1,077,710 to spend on any competitive race this election cycle.

Amidst the mud-slinging, name calling and record smearing ads we are seeing in the US Senate race between incumbent Gordon Smith and challenger Jeff Merkley, an independent expenditure ad surfaces for senior Senator Ron Wyden who does not face re-election for another two years.

Apparently, several Democratic political insiders are starting to feel a bit more comfortable about a potential win for challenger Jeff Merkley in his bid to unseat incumbent Republican Gordon Smith.  One campaign staffer recently remarked on his disgust on how several of his colleagues on the campaign and a few close financial supporters are starting to lobby for government staff positions that have yet to exist.