Merkley on Smith: ‘It’s time for him to retire’

By not attending the Republican National Convention in Minneapolis in September, Sen. Gordon Smith (R-Pendleton) is just trying to avoid his associations with wealthy interests, Jeff Merkley said in an exclusive interview with PolitickerOR.com Tuesday.

"Smith is trying to do everything he can to avoid being accountable," Merkley said. "He now realizes that he cannot win this election as a lap-dog to wealthy, powerful interests, so he has to run away from his record. And it's a horrible position to be in when you have to change your views to win an election. When that happens, it's time for him to retire."