Saturday, May 10, 2008 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact:  Matt Canter, cell: (608) 215-1081 New Poll Explains Why Gordon Smith is Attacking Jeff Merkley New Rasmussen Poll Shows Merkley Surging, Statistically Tied Against SmithToday a new poll from Rasmussen Reports shows that House Speaker Jeff Merkley is surging against Republican Gordon Smith.  Merkley has picked up 10 points since the end of March and is in a statistical dead heat with Smith.  This new polling explains why Smith is running false negative ads attacking only Merkley and ignoring professional political consultant Steve Novick.  In the last 48 hours Gordon Smith has launched an onslaught of false negative ads against Merkley because Republicans know Merkley poses the greatest threat to Smith.  According to Rasmussen:The latest Rasmussen Reports telephone survey of Oregon voters finds Smith leading Jeff Merkley by just three percentage points, 45% to 42%. In late March, he enjoyed a thirteen point lead. In February, he was ahead of Merkley by eighteen points. According to the poll, Merkley is the strongest Democrat to face Smith in November.  Merkley is trailing Smith by only three percentage points.  The margin of error is +/-4%.  Merkley fares better than any other Democrat against Smith.  The poll also shows that over half of Oregonians would not vote to reelect Gordon Smith.  For the third straight month Smith remains below the 50% level of support.
"This poll is not news to Gordon Smith.  Smith and the Republicans know that Jeff Merkley is the strongest Democrat to work with a new Democratic President and change Washington D.C.," said Matt Canter, Merkley campaign spokesman.  "Smith is lying about Merkley's record because Merkley passed real ethics reform in Oregon, while Smith was taking cash from special interests and voting to protect their profits in Washington D.C." Smith's ad is factually false.  While Jeff Merkley refused to accept even a dime from state lobbyists and special interests during the legislative session, Gordon Smith was raising money from lobbyists and special interests in Washington D.C. while the Senate was in session. Jeff Merkley led historic bipartisan ethics reform to ban gifts from lobbyists, close the revolving door for legislators, and restore the independent Ethics Commission.   Since his first run for Congress, Smith has taken $296,871 from the lobbying industry and consistently opposed ethics reform.  [Center For Responsive Politics] Twice Gordon Smith voted against creating an independent ethics committee to investigate charges of misconduct of public officials.  [Senate vote 77, 3/28/06, Senate vote 18, 1/18/07] Smith protected a loophole that allowed the coworkers of registered lobbyists to provide gifts and meals to members of Congress or their staffs.  [Senate vote #80, 3/29/06]  ###