U.S. Senate

The Oregonian's Jeff Mapes has a must read Q&A with Jeff Merkley campaign manager Jon Isaacs on how Merkley beat Steve Novick in the Democratic U.S. Senate primary.  CLICK HERE TO READ

Former Governor John Kitzhaber endorses Steve Novick for the Democratic U.S. Senate nomination.

Jeff Merkley is in a tight Democratic primary with Steve Novick, and some insiders – maybe even most of them – believe that Republican incumbent Gordon Smith would rather face Novick in the general election. That’s the reason the GOP has been attacking Merkley, and now the House Speaker is responding to a negative TV ad put up by Team Smith.

While Steve Novick and Jeff Merkley tear through their campaign warchests in order to secure the right to take on Sen. Gordon Smith in the general election, the incumbent Senator can sit back and watch the money come into his account and stay there.

 Smith raised $1.2 million in the first quarter of 2008, which brings his election total to $8.3 million. Smith predicted at the beginning of his run that he could break $10 million, which he just might do at the current rate.