National Republican Senatorial Committee

Senate candidate Jeff Merkley: Campaign PhotoThe National Republican Senatorial Committee released a new ad Friday that attempts to tie Democratic Senate candidate Jeff Merkley’s actions in Salem to the corruption in Washington, D.C.

“Our economy in trouble, Wall Street and Washington gambling with our money and piling up more government debt,” the ad says. “In Salem, with Jeff Merkley as speaker of the house, the story isn’t any better.”

A spokesman for the National Republican Senatorial Committee said Wednesday that, while it did accidentally air an ad accusing Democratic Senate candidate Jeff Merkley of trying to get rid of the kicker tax refund, the outraged reaction from the Merkley campaign is only an attempt to distract the public from Merkley’s economic record.

The National Republican Senatorial Committee released a familiar ad Monday accusing Merkley of passing legislation to cut timber jobs and raise taxes.

The National Republican Senatorial Committee released a new ad Tuesday accusing Jeff Merkley (D-Portland) of voting to raise taxes on everything from fuel to income to small business.

The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee released a new ad Friday targeting U.S. Sen. Gordon Smith (R-Pendleton), claiming that he has not worked in Washington D.C to help Oregon families, but instead has worked for higher profits and tax breaks for oil companies which have given money to his campaign.

The National Republican Senatorial Committee increased its involvement in Oregon's senate race on Friday by re-launching a website attacking Merkley for his record on taxes and by releasing a video addressing the controversy over ads produced by the Democratic Party of Oregon featuring Senate candidate Jeff Merkley (D-Portland).