ST. PAUL, Minn. – U.S. Sen. Gordon Smith (R-Pendleton) is in a position to win re-election in part because of the relative popularity of Republican presidential candidate John McCain in the Beaver State, Senate Republican Conference Chair Lamar Alexander said today.

“That’s a Democratic-leaning state,” Alexander said at a Wednesday morning breakfast panel sponsored by National Journal.

But, Alexander went on to say, McCain has been running strongly in the state and his strength could give Smith coattails in his campaign against Democrat Jeff Merkley.

An Aug. 7 Rasmussen survey found Smith leading Merkley by a 50 percent to 44 percent margin. The same poll found Barack Obama leading McCain by a 52 percent to 42 percent margin.

Smith, 56, is running for a third term against Merkley, the Oregon House Speaker.