Kay Hagan

U.S. Senator-elect Jeff Merkley (D-Portland) is currently considered the country’s 57th and most recent Democratic Senator-elect after slow ballot counting kept Oregonians on the edge of their seats for several days after theElection.

But Merkley may no longer be the body’s latest Senator-elect. According to Republican National Committee Chairman Mike Duncan, the GOP may be ceding a Senate race in Alaska to Mark Begich (D-Alaska), where the state is still wading through ballots.

Merkley enters convention center on Election NightPORTLAND – Jeff Merkley (D-Portland) said he was feeling good about his chances to be elected to the U.S. Senate Tuesday night as he and his wife arrived at the convention center for the Oregon Democrats' election night celebration.

Both the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee and the National Republican Senatorial Campaign Committee have been big spenders in Oregon this election cycle, according to campaign finance numbers released by the Federal Elections Commission Wednesday.