Oregon Public Broadcasting

Two Democrats competing to be Oregon's next attorney general have taken their campaign spending to the next level. April Baer reports the last few days of voting will be busy ones for John Kroger and Greg Macpherson.

Macpherson's a well-known corporate lawyer and four-term state legislator. But he's tussled with union groups over changes to the state pension system. Those groups have now made a second hefty donation to the opposition.

The Service Employees International Union has given former prosecutor John Kroger $160,000.

Ben Ungar with the Kroger campaign says the gift's not a minute too late.

Ben Ungar: "Yes, we have enough time to spend it! The majority of people in the state are still making up their minds about the races -- ours included."

Not to be outdone, Macpherson's lent his campaign $40,000 of his own money. He notes the AG's race is different from his legislative campaigns, which are often won door-to-door.

Greg Macpherson: "And that's a great form of politics. In a statewide race you can't do that. You have to compete through the broadcast media."

The loan brings the two campaigns close to even in cash resources.