Oregon Public Broadcasting

After two terms in the U.S. Senate, Oregon Republican Senator Gordon Smith entered this year with a huge campaign war chest.

Wednesday, we learned that he’s spent $10 million on his re-election campaign. 

He’s well known in the state, and in the past, he’s enjoyed strong enthusiasm among Republicans.  But with weeks to go before the election, Smith is struggling to keep his job.  Salem correspondent Chris Lehman reports.

Gordon Smith is the only Republican U.S. Senator on the West Coast.  In fact, he’s the only Republican in any statewide office in Oregon.  And the state has been turning bluer by the month, with Democrats signing up to vote in droves.

So maybe that’s why Smith mentioned so many Democrats when he spoke at a recent meeting of Oregon municipal officials.

Smith cited his “yes” vote on the recent 700 billion dollar economic bailout as an example of his bi-partisan work.

Gordon Smith:  “And so with Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton, Joe Biden; Republicans such as Mitch McConnell, and a majority of us; we came together as Americans.”

But this wasn’t the first time Smith has talked up his bi-partisan cred.   Earlier this year he went so far as to air a campaign ad portraying himself as working side-by-side with Barack Obama.  But the message doesn’t seem to be hitting home with Oregonians.

A string of recent polls shows Smith running slightly behind his chief opponent, Democrat Jeff Merkley.  He’s the Speaker of the Oregon House, and he often touts his record there when talking to voters.  

Here he is at a rally at the University of Oregon.

Jeff Merkley:  “We passed basic partnerships and basic rights.  We kicked out the payday loan sharks and the title loan sharks, and we proceeded to invest in education.  We doubled scholarships for higher education.”

Merkley wasn’t expected to be in this position.  He wasn’t on the early short list of possible candidates for the seat.

He got to the general election only after surviving a bruising primary against upstart Democrat, Steve Novick.  But since then, Democrats nationally poured millions of dollars into the race.

They see Oregon as one of their best chances to pick up a seat in the closely divided Senate.  

The Rothenberg Political Report recently ranked Gordon Smith as one of three Republican incumbents most at risk of losing their seat.  Nathan Gonzales is Rothenberg’s political editor.

Nathan Gonzales:  “It appears that Senator Smith is either in the mid-40’s or the low 40’s or even unable to crack 40 in some polls, and that’s a very difficult place for an incumbent to be really just a few weeks from the voting starting.”

Gonzales says Oregon’s political landscape has changed in Smith’s 12 years in office, forcing the Republican to lean more and more to the left.

Nathan Gonzales:  “He’s trying to walk a very fine line by gaining moderate and independent voters in the middle, and keeping Republicans in his camp. And I’m not sure that some Republicans in the state were very happy that he was sort of getting closer to Obama in some of his ads.”

For his part, Smith explains his struggles by referring to a relentless stream of ads by Merkley and his national supporters.

Gordon Smith:  “Well how about on course to $20 million worth of negative ads that are distorted, deceitful, dishonest and defamatory?”

Republicans have run their own share of ads in support of Smith.

The campaign has gotten so harsh the lead questions in their two debates were about negative ads. But the mudslinging shows no sign of letting up.

Oregon voters will soon decide whether to keep Smith in office, or make him a victim of what’s predicted to be a Democratic tide.