Former U.S. Rep. Denny Smith (R-Ontario) expressed his ire at U.S. Sen. Gordon Smith’s campaign on Tuesday for their decision last month to air a television ad showing the incumbent senator working across the aisle with U.S Senator and Democratic Presidential Candidate Barack Obama (D-Ill.).

“I disagree with the ad,” Rep. Smith said. “Gordon has an interesting race, and I understand what he’s trying to do, but I don’t think it’s a good strategy.”

Denny Smith believes that the ads the senator’s campaign has run are not the way Sen. Smith should be shoring up his support has he continues through a hard-fought re-election campaign.

“He’s better off playing to his base,” Rep. Smith said. “The base is the people you can rely on to get you through the election.”

Denny Smith, who represented the 2nd Congressional District from 1980-82, and the 5th District from 1982-1990 was in Wilsonville Tuesday speaking on behalf of Veterans for McCain. Denny Smith, a Vietnam Veteran who worked with U.S Senator and Presidential candidate John McCain in Congress, is a staunch supporter of the Arizona Republican.

“He is a friend of mine,” Rep. Smith said, “He was a leader and a great American in the Hanoi Hilton, he was a fine senator, and he’ll make a great president of the United States."