Oregon News by Lauren Lafaro

Speaker Jeff Merkley’s campaign is trotting out the tried-and-true negative characterization, the one once fatally affixed to Sen. John Kerry (D-MA): flip-flopper.

The most recent alert concerns an article run today in the National Journal, which reported that Smith will most likely support the Democrat-driven Medicare plan.

Sneaking in his endorsement right before Sen. Barack Obama won the required number of delegates in today’s primaries, superdelegate Frank Dixon, Vice Chair of the Democratic Party of Oregon jumped on the Obama wagon.

John Frohnmayer is running as an Independent Party candidate for the Senate seat currently held by Sen. Gordon Smith. His website discusses changing the “politics of partisanship to the politics of remedy,” and advocates the necessity of a third party in American politics.

Sen. Ron Wyden and Sen. Gordon Smith have enjoyed a relatively congenial relationship across the party line that divides them. They have worked together in Washington on a number of Oregon issues, including the extension of the Mt. Hood Wilderness Area. But that past cooperation didn't stop Wyden from endorsing Smith’s Democratic rival in the upcoming election.