U.S. Sen. Gordon Smith (R-Pendleton) avoided answering a question as to whether he was going to endorse congressional candidate Mike Erickson (R-Lake Oswego), the day after allegations surfaced that the 5th Congressional Distruct candidate lied about a trip to Cuba, calling it a humanitarian mission, while the trip organizer told The Oregonian it was more of a vacation.

Erickson had spent Monday defending himself against the "smear tactics" he said The Oregonian used in writing the story about his 2004 trip, and he urged voters and the media to return to issues facing voters. But Smith, the state's junior U.S. senator, did not defend Erickson.

"Mike's got some special issues," Smith said Monday as he was leaving a meeting with ranchers during a campaign stop in John Day.

Asked whether he'd endorse or offer any further support for Erickson's campaign against state Sen. Kurt Schrader (D-Canby), Smith did not jump to support the Republican candidate looking to capture the open 5th district seat.

"I need to focus on my re-election," Smith said. "And he needs to focus on his campaign."

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