DSCC

The Senate ad war keeps on getting nastier.

Last week, after sitting on the sidelines for the past few months while being attacked by the Democrats, Sen. Gordon Smith took on both Speaker Jeff Merkley and Steve Novick in one ad. Now Smith has narrowed his sights on Merkley, once again focusing on the Speaker’s fundraising activity during the February special session, launching his attack less than two weeks before the Democratic primary.

Remember those reports that Chuck Schumer and the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee are pullling out of Oregon? National Democrats are still airing negative television spots aimed at ousting U.S. Senator Gordon Smith.

U.S. Sen. Gordon SmithThe Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, which does not endorse in the primary, has still been hovering in the background of the U.S. Senate race here in Oregon. Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), chairman of the DSCC, hand-picked Jeff Merkley and the DSCC donated to his fledgling campaign back in December.

One might have therefore expected that the DSCC's long awaited first ad in Oregon would mention Merkley. The Speaker is, however, absent from the spot, which instead focuses on U.S. Sen. Gordon Smith.

U.S. Sen. Gordon SmithThe Democratic Party of Oregon took issue with Republican U.S. Sen. Gordon Smith's first television ad, and they weren't the only ones. The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee echoed the sentiments expressed by the DPO, saying that Oregonians should take Smith's "attempts to appear independent with a grain of salt."

"The only thing Gordon Smith ‘gets' is that he has to try to cloak his partisan record," DSCC spokesman Matthew Miller said. "Unfortunately for Smith, Oregonians' memories are longer than a 30 second TV spot. Gordon Smith will continue to try to paint himself as an independent, but his history of supporting George Bush's failed policies paints a different picture."