Hi there MYDD readers! I'm here at Merkley Headquarters and I just wanted to give you an update on the state of the Oregon Senate race. We are feeling very good about the election right now, and I want to tell you why. UPDATE: Oregonian calls it for Merkley http://www.oregonlive.com/special/index.ssf/2008/11/senate.html Follow me below the fold....

Full disclosure, I am the netroots director for OR-Sen candidate Jeff Merkley

Last night, hundreds of volunteers came out to rally for Barack Obama and Jeff Merkley. Governor Howard Dean, Senator Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley energized the crowd before the canvassers hit the streets for Merkley and Obama....

Full disclosure, I am the netroots director for OR-Sen candidate Jeff Merkley

Al Gore is coming out to Oregon to do his part to help send Oregon Senate candidate Jeff Merkley to the Senate. Al Gore has been the leading voice in the fight against climate change. By raising awareness on climate change, he helped change hearts and minds of even the most stubborn Republican politicians. Even with Gore's work bringing climate change to the forefront in American politics, that does not mean Republicans will take serious steps to address the crisis. That's why it's no surprise, Al Gore has decided to come all the way out to Oregon to help Jeff Merkley defeat Republican Gordon Smith.

Full disclosure, I am the netroots director for OR-Sen candidate Jeff Merkley

In the first debate between Republican Gordon Smith and Oregon's House Speaker Jeff Merkley, Smith touted his work with Oregon's Longshore workers. Here's what Smith had to say:

And I have been a voice for rural Oregon. You see what Pendleton wheat farmers need is Portland long shore man. I bridged that gap. Jeff Merkley makes it much deeper.

Oregon's Longshore workers are not having it. More below the fold....

Full disclosure, I am the netroots director for OR-Sen candidate Jeff Merkley

In just three days, Oregonians will be making their choice in the highly contested Senate race. Oregon is a vote by mail state and ballots will begin dropping this FRIDAY. Obama is up 17 points here and there's no question in my mind that he will carry Oregon. The Oregon Senate race is a different story. Follow me below the fold to find out why it's so important that we all come together to elect progressive Democrat Jeff Merkley.

Full disclosure, I am the netroots director for OR-Sen candidate Jeff Merkley

A new KATU/SUSA poll has Oregon Senate candidate Jeff Merkley ahead of Republican Gordon Smith 46-41. The last SUSA poll taken from September had Merkley up 44-42, which was within the MOE. Progressive Democrat Jeff Merkley clearly has the momentum going into the final weeks of the campaign. This does NOT mean we can let up on this race, not even for a second. It's more important than ever that we rally behind Jeff and make sure that we have a progressive voice representing all of us in the Senate.

Today marks the 6th anniversary of the Iraq War Resolution. As of today, we've lost 4,181 brave men and women and thousands more have been injured. Our moral standing in the world has been weakened and we're mired in debt. We desperately need new leadership in the White House and we need to increase our numbers in Congress to finally put an end to the war. Here in Oregon, Iraqi veterans are speaking out in support of Barack Obama and Oregon Senate candidate Jeff Merkley. More below the fold....

Full disclosure, I am the netroots director for OR-Sen candidate Jeff Merkley

Republican Gordon Smith loves to tout his work with Democrats like Senator Ron Wyden, but in the race for Oregon Senate, Senator Wyden wholeheartedly supports Jeff Merkley. Today, Oregon Senator Ron Wyden is hitting the airwaves showing his support for Oregon Senate candidate Jeff Merkley in a new campaign ad. More below the fold....

Full disclosure, I am the netroots director for OR-Sen candidate Jeff Merkley