Oregon Public Broadcasting

Months back, Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama endorsed Oregon house Speaker Jeff Merkley in his race against incumbent Republican Senator Gordon Smith. But Friday, Obama appeared in his first TV ad for Merkley. The ad could be critical because Obama is considered very popular here in Oregon. Ethan Lindsey reports.

Democrats across the country have been pleading with Senator Barack Obama to spend more time and energy campaigning for their party's candidates in close races.

Count Jeff Merkley among that group.

And according to the Obama campaign, this is the first ad Obama has done for any Senate candidate for the general election.

Merkley spokesman Matt Canter says he was very pleased to finally get an ad from the presidential hopeful.

Canter: "Speaker Jeff Merkley requested Senator Obama do the ad many weeks ago. The request has actually been out there for months now. And we obtained the ad and shipped it off the television stations immediately."

Democrats believe the ad will be effective because in his previous TV ads, Senator Smith has said he worked with Obama in Washington.