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Merkley leads in race, may join Wyden on Hill
By Brad Cain, Associated Press Writer
Wednesday, November 05, 2008 | 1 comment(s)
SALEM — Depending on the outcome of Tuesday’s election, Oregonians could end up with two U.S. senators from the same party for the first time in more than decade.
Recent polls have shown Democratic challenger Jeff Merkley within striking distance of knocking off Republican incumbent Gordon Smith, which could pair Merkley with Democratic Sen. Ron Wyden in Washington, D.C.
Republicans Mark Hatfield and Bob Packwood represented Oregon for 27 years in the Senate — and had wielded a lot of clout — before Packwood resigned from office in 1995 and Hatfield retired the following year.
As Tuesday’s voting deadline approached, Smith and Merkley offered Oregon voters competing messages about whether having senators from one party would be a good thing for the state.
Smith told volunteers he needs them to get the message out to GOP voters that it’s important to keep him in the Senate to help preserve a balanced government in the event that Democrat Barack Obama wins the presidency and Democrats increase their numbers in the Senate.
“I would fear for my country if there were no brakes on an Obama train,” the GOP senator said.
Merkley, on the other hand, said people are excited about his candidacy because they know he would be part of a new crop of Democrats who could help Obama implement his programs and change the direction of the country.
“They know that we’re going to get Obama elected and Oregon is going to play a big role in whether the U.S. Senate is going to be able to act rather than be paralyzed,” Merkley said.
Political analyst Jim Moore said even if Merkley wins, he and Wyden together would have a long way to go to match the seniority and clout of Hatfield and Packwood.
Moore, however, said having two Democrats representing Oregon would be a plus if Obama wins the presidency.
“It means Oregon would be on the winning side and thus have a better chance of getting Oregon-specific projects into big economic stimulus bills,” said Moore, who teaches political science at Pacific University in Forest Grove.
Voters have until 8 p.m. to submit their ballots in an election in which Oregonians also were choosing a new secretary of state and state treasurer and deciding a dozen ballot measures.
At the top of the ticket, polls showed Obama is expected to handily defeat Republican John McCain to win Oregon’s seven electoral votes.
Oregon Secretary of State Bill Bradbury was sticking with his prediction that this election would set a modern record, eclipsing the 86.5 percent turnout the state saw in the 1960 Nixon-Kennedy presidential race.
As of 4 p.m. Monday, more than 1.37 million ballots had been returned — about 63 percent — which is somewhat behind the pace of the 2004 presidential election. Still, Bradbury predicted additional ballots coming in would break the previous record.
“There’s is so much interest in this election, that I just think we are going to go over the top,” Bradbury said.
Strong get-out-the-vote efforts by Obama’s campaign and other groups have given Democrats a registration edge of more than 10 percentage points over Republicans.
The secretary of state’s figures also showed that Democratic ballot returns were about six percentage points higher than Republicans so far.
Recent polls have shown Democratic challenger Jeff Merkley within striking distance of knocking off Republican incumbent Gordon Smith, which could pair Merkley with Democratic Sen. Ron Wyden in Washington, D.C.
Republicans Mark Hatfield and Bob Packwood represented Oregon for 27 years in the Senate — and had wielded a lot of clout — before Packwood resigned from office in 1995 and Hatfield retired the following year.
As Tuesday’s voting deadline approached, Smith and Merkley offered Oregon voters competing messages about whether having senators from one party would be a good thing for the state.
Smith told volunteers he needs them to get the message out to GOP voters that it’s important to keep him in the Senate to help preserve a balanced government in the event that Democrat Barack Obama wins the presidency and Democrats increase their numbers in the Senate.
“I would fear for my country if there were no brakes on an Obama train,” the GOP senator said.
Merkley, on the other hand, said people are excited about his candidacy because they know he would be part of a new crop of Democrats who could help Obama implement his programs and change the direction of the country.
“They know that we’re going to get Obama elected and Oregon is going to play a big role in whether the U.S. Senate is going to be able to act rather than be paralyzed,” Merkley said.
Political analyst Jim Moore said even if Merkley wins, he and Wyden together would have a long way to go to match the seniority and clout of Hatfield and Packwood.
Moore, however, said having two Democrats representing Oregon would be a plus if Obama wins the presidency.
“It means Oregon would be on the winning side and thus have a better chance of getting Oregon-specific projects into big economic stimulus bills,” said Moore, who teaches political science at Pacific University in Forest Grove.
Voters have until 8 p.m. to submit their ballots in an election in which Oregonians also were choosing a new secretary of state and state treasurer and deciding a dozen ballot measures.
At the top of the ticket, polls showed Obama is expected to handily defeat Republican John McCain to win Oregon’s seven electoral votes.
Oregon Secretary of State Bill Bradbury was sticking with his prediction that this election would set a modern record, eclipsing the 86.5 percent turnout the state saw in the 1960 Nixon-Kennedy presidential race.
As of 4 p.m. Monday, more than 1.37 million ballots had been returned — about 63 percent — which is somewhat behind the pace of the 2004 presidential election. Still, Bradbury predicted additional ballots coming in would break the previous record.
“There’s is so much interest in this election, that I just think we are going to go over the top,” Bradbury said.
Strong get-out-the-vote efforts by Obama’s campaign and other groups have given Democrats a registration edge of more than 10 percentage points over Republicans.
The secretary of state’s figures also showed that Democratic ballot returns were about six percentage points higher than Republicans so far.
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