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Tens-of-thousands of Republicans in St. Paul, Minnesota - and millions of Americans at home - will be watching Alaska Governor Sarah Palin at her coming out party, of sorts.

Palin will be speaking to the convention less than one week after Senator John McCain named her as his vice presidential nominee.

Also speaking is Minnesota Republican Senator Norm Coleman -- supporters hope it will give him a boost in his reelection campaign against Democratic humorist Al Franken.

Meanwhile, Oregonians are left wondering why their Republican Senator, Gordon Smith, isn't in attendance. Ethan Lindsey reports from the convention in St. Paul.

To some Republicans, it's not just that Senator Smith isn't at the convention, it's that he's running campaign ads crediting Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama and Massachusetts Senator John Kerry.

The ad seems targeted at the full quarter of all Oregon voters who are unaffiliated or registered as independents.

Several prominent Republicans have publicly expressed disappointment with the strategy. So at a campaign event last week, I asked Senator Smith whether the ads should leave someone with any doubt about who he is supporting for president.

Gordon Smith: “No, I'm for McCain, I hope Oregon votes for McCain, I am.”

Political observers say Smith is skipping the GOP convention to put even more distance between himself and the president and party that is increasingly unpopular in the state of Oregon.

Gordon Smith: “As happened in 1996, my election coincided with a presidential election, and now as then, I decided my time is best spent in Oregon making my case to the people of Oregon.”

His campaign hasn't publicized much in the way of his specific schedule for the week, but says he has met with supporters from Pendleton to Portland to Hood River to Wallowa.

Democrat Jeff Merkley has waged an already-expensive campaign against Smith. One of his most popular lines on the stump is that Smith doesn't represent change, because Smith votes with President Bush 90-percent of the time.

Wayne Brady is the chairman of the Marion County Republicans.

Wayne Brady: “You know, the fact is, Gordon votes with us practically all of the time.”

Brady says he has to answer the phone when constituents call, worried, after  seeing one of those ads.

Wayne Brady: “The press of course loves to play up the times he is doing something different. His staff obviously thinks it helps him. But from my perspective, I get these phone calls and I think, well, gee I don't know about that.”

George Pataki, the former Governor of New York, spoke to the Oregon Republicans Wednesday. He says it's a fine line to walk - to be elected as a Republican in a blue state.

Gov. George Pataki: “You never give up your principles or your values, but you do have to work across party lines. I did that in New York. You can't be strictly partisan, but that's not what people in the Republican Party want. They understand there are independents, conservative Democrats and others who share the values of limited government, and lesser taxation, and who would support a Republican when they reach across party lines. Senator McCain does it, Gordon Smith does it, I did it in New York.”

John Lee is a Republican from Boring Oregon.

He watched Gov. Pataki's speech, while wearing a blue t-shirt covered in pro-Republican campaign pins. The t-shirt screamed, in white block letters, 'Erickson for Congress'.

That'd be Mike Erickson, the Lake Oswego businessman running to succeed West Linn Democratic Congresswoman Darlene Hooley in the U.S. Congress.

Lee admits he can't actually vote for Erickson - he doesn't live in that congressional district. But Lee says he is such a devoted Republican he's actually gone door-to-door for the candidate.

That's why Lee was a bit saddened when he found out Erickson, Senator Smith, and Hood River Congressman Greg Walden would be skipping the Republican National Convention.

John Lee: “It's a little disappointing. I expected to see Gordon here. And I know that they're all busy, but they got a lot to do and there's only 60 days left. Or less, because of vote by mail, but they got a lot to do at home that they can't really do here.”

Smith's explanation for missing the convention sits well with die-hards like Lee.

What remains to be seen is how the rest of Oregon will react.