The National Republican Senatorial Committee released two ads Monday attacking U.S. Senate candidate Jeff Merkley (D-Portland) on his tax record.

The first one, called “Packaging,” attempts to straight talk with Oregon voters by leveling with them on the economic problems Oregon is facing. It then goes on to blame Merkley for those problems.

“Oregon’s economy is in trouble. Huge job losses, recession,” the ad says. “So if it is about the economy? We just can’t send Jeff Merkley to the U.S. Senate.”

Merkley’s spokesman Matt Canter was quick to thank the NRSC for finally being honest with voters that the economy was in trouble, but said that the blame lay with Republican leadership in Washington, D.C., not with Oregon leadership in Salem.

“Finally, Republicans are acknowledging that the Bush-Smith economic policies are a failure,” Canter said. “Jeff Merkley and Barack Obama share a new economic policy for Americans, while Gordon Smith defends the failed economic policies of the Bush Administration.”

The NRSC also released a second ad on Merkley’s tax record, again highlighting a video from Democratic primary debate in April. The ad, titled "Everday," uses a quote from Merkley where he said he advocated for tax hikes.

“Raising taxes may be Jeff Merkley’s first priority. But it’s the last thing we need in this recession,” the ad says.

The Merkley campaign has repeatedly said that quote is taken out of context. Canter also questioned why the NRSC was so highly invested in the race if Smith claimed to be such a moderate. A similar question was asked by Oregonian columnist David Sarasohn on Sunday.

“These organizations and their involvement in the race completely undercut Smith’s claims that he has been independent,” Canter said. “These organizations are invested heavily in his re-election because they know he will be invested in their cause in Washington, D.C.”