Merkley win presents biggest upset in Oregon's recent political history

Now that the Oregonian has declared victory for Democrat Jeff Merkley over incumbent Republican Gordon Smith, it's time to take a step back and look at what Merkley managed to accomplish in the last year in Oregon politics.

First, there was the selection process.  Before national Democrats considered any candidate, liberal activist Steve Novick threw his hat in the race.  Senator Chuck Schumer, chairman of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee in Washington, DC, did not jive with the potential strength of the Novick campaign so he kept looking for a candidate until he ultimately settled on Merkley.  Merkley was a candidate with enough legislative and leadership background to be considered a credible candidate but not too much baggage that would weigh him down in a head-to-head with Smith.

Next, there was a bitter primary battle for the Dem nomination.  After Schumer announced Merkley was going to be the DSCC's pick, Novick stood up to the challenge and forced Merkley into a bitter family feud, costing time and money some say could have been better spent gearing up for the general election.  Merkley won the primary, but Novick came a great deal closer than most gave him credit for.  

With empty coffers from the primary Merkley then had to face Smith and what would eventually become his $12 million warchest.  Very few Oregon insiders gave Merkley a shot at overcoming such a large political hurdle.  In fact, on congressional aide in Portland claimed it would be impossible for Merkley to overcome Smith's likeability factor and big bank account.  But, he did it.  Merkley raised $5.3 million of his own funds (at times out-raising his well-entrenched opponent) and was the recipient of $10 million worth of television ads, a gift from Schumer and friends over at the DSCC.

In retrospect, some say Merkley was just fortunate enough to run in a very good year for Democrats nationwide.  Others claim it was overcoming each campaign challenge that made him stronger as a candidate in the later months of the campaign.  No matter what brought Merkley across the victory line, a win is a win.  After Secretary of State Bill Bradbury lost badly to Smith six years ago, Merkley accomplished what nearly all political insiders, both Democrats and Republicans, deemed to be the impossible.  Not bad for one year.