Is Smith fighting back?

Sen. Gordon’s Smith’s re-election campaign has been reluctant to directly engage one his possible Democratic opponents, House Speaker Jeff Merkley, but now it looks like Smith is starting to fight back – just a bit.  The Oregonian’s Jeff Mapes is reporting on a Smith fundraising email highlighting the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee’s financial support for Merkley.

One element of the message that’s interesting -- that Smith anoints himself the “national Democrats’ top target of 2008,” although there’s been a good bit of discussion about the D.C. Dems feeling more confident about dispatching Senators Norm Coleman and John Sununu next year, who are from Minnesota and New Hampshire, respectively.

There’s no question the DSCC is eager to see Merkley win both the nomination, and Smith’s seat, but his “top target” characterization may be a bit of a stretch to rile up campaign contributors.