NRSC releases three new ads attack ads against Merkley's record

On Friday the National Republican Senatorial Committee released three new ads accusing U.S. Senate candidate Jeff Merkley (D-Portland) of raising taxes, borrowing money to spend, and not listening to rural Oregonians.

The ads come after voters expressed discontent with both Merkley and U.S. Sen. Gordon Smith (R-Pendleton) last night during a debate in Portland. Voters who sent in questions for the candidates were frustrated over the way that negative advertising has dominated the campaign.

At one point Thursday night, Smith said to Merkley he would take down his negative ads if Merkley would take his down as well. Merkley was quick to say that he didn’t have any negative ads, and that they were all coming from outside groups, such as the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee. He did say he would be willing to sit down with the outside groups to talk about taking down the advertising, if Smith would engage in similar talks.

Today’s release signals that meeting obviously hasn’t happened yet.

One ad, called “More Tax Merkley,” accuses the Oregon House Speaker of voting for the largest tax increase in Oregon history, among other tax increases.

“More tax Merkley voted to raise the state income tax,” the ad says. “He voted three times for higher taxes on seniors. Four times for higher taxes on farmers. Four times to increase the gas tax. More tax Merkley voted for a tax increase rejected by 60 percent of Oregon voters.”

The second ad, called “Gambled,” resembles an ad the NRSC released a week ago. The revious ad accused Merkley of being just like Washington, D.C. and Wall Street, by using borrowed money during his tenure as Speaker of the House in Salem. The Merkley camp called the ad “hilarious,” because Washington, D.C. was in fact gambling with taxpayer money, and that federal government spending doubled while Merkley’s opponent, Smith, was in office.

The latest ad makes no mention of Washington, D.C.

“Wall Street gambled with borrowed money…and Main Street is paying the price,” the ad says. “In Salem with Jeff Merkley as Speaker of the State House…the story isn’t any better.”

The third ad, called “Door,” talks about Merkley’s record on rural issues, and warns voters outside of Portland that the Oregon House Speaker would not be a voice for them in Washington, D.C.

“Jeff Merkley’s door is always open to Portland,” the ad says. “But if you live in rural Oregon, Merkley will shut you out. The Office of Rural Policy closed with Merkley as Speaker.”

Merkley spokesman Matt Canter said that outside Republican groups were prepared to do as much negative advertising as possible in Oregon until Election Day in an attempt to scare voters away from Merkley, who is in a dead heat with U.S. Senator Gordon Smith (R-Pendleton), according to the most recent polls.

“These Republican groups are pouring millions of dollars into Oregon to mislead voters,” Canter said. “The truth is Jeff Merkley balanced the budget, created the rainy-day fund, and cut taxes for all working Oregonians.”