Oregon Public Broadcasting

Oregon Senate candidate Jeff Merkley is getting the chance to make his case to a national audience.  

The Oregon House Speaker has been given a timeslot to speak at next week’s Democratic National Convention in Denver.  Salem correspondent Chris Lehman reports.

It’s another sign that the Democratic Party thinks Jeff Merkley can unseat Republican incumbent Gordon Smith.

Merkley is one of four Senate candidates who will speak Wednesday night at the convention.  All are in states that Democrats think they can pick up in this November’s election.

Merkley spokesman Matt Canter says the convention will be a chance for Merkley to share the limelight with Presidential candidate Barack Obama.

Matt Canter:  “Barack Obama has bold, aggressive, ambitious plans to change Washington D-C and to make it happen we need a real working majority, a Democratic majority in the United States Senate.”

Merkley and the other Senate hopefuls will speak the same night as Obama’s running mate.  

The speeches will likely come before the major networks start their evening broadcasts.  Still, it’s the kind of thing that will probably make for good campaign ad material down the road.  

Speaking of ads, the Merkley campaign started running its first ad since the May primary this week. 

Merkley ad:  “The economy, energy, war.  So Gordon Smith talks about furniture.”

It’s a response to this ad from Gordon Smith, which takes Merkley to task for a renovation project at the state capitol.

Smith ad:  “He spent millions.  Flat-screen TV’s. $4000 desks.  $6700 for matching hutch, credenza and wardrobe. Credenza?  Wardrobe?”

Smith is skipping the Republican National Convention in September to focus on his re-election campaign.