Democrat takes Senate seat in Oregon: media

[struggle4progress]

Source: Reuters

WASHINGTON ... Democrat Jeff Merkley won the closely contested U.S. Senate race in Oregon, defeating incumbent Republican Sen. Gordon Smith, a victory that helps Democrats expand their majority in Congress, the Portland Oregonian reported on Wednesday ... Merkley is speaker of the state House in the Northwestern state.

Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/newsOne/idUSTRE4A50RK20081106

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Oregonian Calls Merkley the Winner
By Matthew Murray
Roll Call Staff
November 5, 2008, 9:43 p.m.
State Speaker Jeff Merkley (D) has defeated Sen. Gordon Smith (R-Ore.), according to the Oregonian. With more than 80 percent of the votes tallied, the Portland-based newspaper called the race for Merkley, who was narrowly besting Smith 691,501 votes to 691,119 votes ... http://www.rollcall.com/news/29935-1.html


Suburban man learns he is a new U.S. Senator
Posted by Jeff Mapes, The Oregonian November 05, 2008 18:33PM
... Merkley was just about to jump in an SUV to drive off to watch his son's swim practice ... We had just received a new batch of votes from Multnomah County that put Merkley in the lead to stay. We were on the cusp of calling the race. Merkley's grin broadened as he listened to me relay the deliberations in our newsroom. His press aide, Matt Canter, clearly didn't want an impromptu announcement from Merkley and reminded him about the practice. Merkley said to call him on his cell and he soon sped off ... A minute later, we called the race and I congratulated Canter. He got on his cell and came back to announce that Merkley wouldn't have any more to say that night. "More good news, but we'll just continue to watch the ballots come in and wait to claim victory," Canter said. http://blog.oregonlive.com/mapesonpolitics/2008/11/suburban_man_learns_he_is_a_ne.html

[gratuitous]

1. Good-bye Gordon!

Finally. Finally! Oregon has the right representation in the Senate.

[EconomicLiberal]

2. #57. n/t

[bkkyosemite]

3. Yeh for us!!!

[defendandprotect]

4. More lovely news --!!!

[Bluenorthwest]

5. Happy day!

Very glad to see Jeff win, and Gordon loose. Both things. Jeff will be a wonderful Senator. #57 I think?

[Pastiche423]

6. No more Gordo!

Yipee!

[Mme. Defarge]

7. Make it so!

[catgirl]

8. Jeff Merkley wins Senate seat (Oregon)

Source: Political Wire

According to the Portland Oregonian, Jeff Merkley (D) has defeated Sen. Gordon Smith (R-OR).

Democrats have now picked up six Senate seats this election cycle, including knocking off three Republican incumbents. There are three seats -- in Minnesota, Georgia and Alaska -- are still undecided.

Read more: http://www.oregonlive.com/special/index.ssf/2008/11/senate.html

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From the Oregonian:

http://www.politicalwire.com/

[saltpoint]

9. Good. I think we can all do quite well indeed without Gordon Smith.

Congratulations Jeff Merkley.

[Bluenorthwest]

10. Huzzah!

That's so great, Gordon's defeat is the news I have been waiting for! I did some Merkley phone banking and it was a close race, and lots of people worked really hard to win it. Wonderful!

[Blue Belle]

21. This is so GREAT!!!

I've wanted Gordon Smith out of office for a long time and Jeff Merkley is a great man to replace him. He's going to make an excellent Senator, and his election leaves us with only one Republican representing the State of Oregon in Congress - Greg Walden (unfortuneately, he's a representative of Eastern Oregon who votes Republican).

I am so happy right now. I hope Minnesota, Georgia and Alaske will go blue as well.

[Backwoodsrider]

11. The frozen food tycoon takes a hike

Even I did not think Smith was going to lose. This is a great surprise. Now if only Franklin can get his state to hold a revote and this time do it on paper ballots we would be set!

God I am still pinching myself. I cant believe we have a pres elect and a dem party that are actually going to be able to do things and not be stonewalled by the repubs at every turn!!!

[dw]

12. The Oregonian: Jeff Merkley wins Senate seat

Source: The Oregonian

http://www.oregonlive.com/special/index.ssf/2008/11/senate.html

Read more: http://www.oregonlive.com/special/index.ssf/2008/11/senate.html

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Mr. Smith leaves Washington. Mr. Merkley becomes Democratic Senator #55.

[renate]

13. woooooooooooooo! Thank you for the update!

Gordon Smith didn't make me throw up in my mouth like so many Republicans do, but still... woo! :woohoo:

I'm glad his plan to (absurdly) ride Obama's coattails to reelection didn't work!

[Mme. Defarge]

14. Merkley ousts Smith to take Senate seat

Source: By kgw.com Staff

Merkley ousts Smith to take Senate seat

12:23 AM PST on Thursday, November 6, 2008

By kgw.com Staff


PORTLAND, Ore. -- The Oregonian and KGW projected Wednesday night that Democratic challenger Jeff Merkley would overtake Republican Sen. Gordon Smith to win the Senate seat in the toughest, most expensive race the state has ever seen.

Multnomah and Lane County were still counting ballots Wednesday night, after numbers started to show a lead for Merkley in Multnomah, Oreogn's most populous and liberal county.

Some analysts believed Merkley will run up the numbers in Multnomah and Lane, which still had a large number of votes to tally.


Read more: http://www.kgw.com/elections/stories/kgw_103108_politics_smith_merkley.168cba25b.html

[Suji to Seoul]

15. 57 - 43! Come Al. . .Come On Mark!!!

I want 59. . .then we can get Olympia Snowe into the Cabinet and get our 60!!!

[mcg]

19. Olympia Snowe in the Cabinet, I hadn't thought of that,

I think I like the idea! Obama shows himself to be bipartisan while expanding our Senate seats. He would have to persuade her though, she said before she's not interested. It would be worth a try, the Dem Governor could appoint a Dem.

http://www.politicker.com/pindell-obama-can-put-snowe-his-cabinet-so-democrats-can-get-their-60th-senate-seat-0

[Lasher]

16. CNN is showing Merkley with a 3% lead

He's up 759,127 (49%) to Smith's 722,968 (46%) with 80% of precincts reporting.

http://www.cnn.com/ELECTION/2008/results/individual/#mapSOR

Wonder what's taking so long for the rest of the precincts to report.

[Quantess]

18. It takes a long time to check each ballot in OR

the signatures have to be checked, etc.

[Blue Belle]

22. Multnomah County takes a long time to count...

I read in a report yesterday that they can only process 6,000 ballots an hour. Multnomah and Lane counties are huge liberal counties and as it stands now in Multnomah county Merkley leads 69% to 27% with 76% of the precints reporting and Lane county has Merkley leading 58% to 38% with 68% of the precints reporting. Merkley will win by an even larger majority once all the precints are in.

[Pale Blue Dot]

17. BREAKING NEWS: NBC projects Democrat Merkley winner of Ore. Senate seat; 3 races still undecided

Source: MSNBC

No link yet. Breaking news banner

Read more: www.msnbc.com

[KamaAina]

20. Looking extremely good: Merkley +40,000 with ~66,000 ballots not yet counted

http://egov.sos.state.or.us/division/elections/results/2008G/index.html

Registered Voters Ballots Cast Voter Turnout
_________________ _________________ _________________
General Election 2,166,866 1,660,593 76.64% ...

Votes Percent
_________________ _________________
Gordon H Smith (Republican) 732,771 45.97%
Jeff Merkley (Democrat) 773,358 48.51%
Dave Brownlow (Constitution) 83,440 5.23%
Write-in Votes 4,515 0.28%
_________________ _________________
Totals: 1,594,084 100%

Guess I was a bit hasty in throwing on Oregon's vote-by-mail system, which, it turns out, isn't even always by mail:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=102&topic_id=3585962&mesg_id=3586025

edit: bolding; also note that, unlike MN, here the third-party (Constitution) candidate is sucking votes away from ex-Sen. Smith.

re-edit: In other words, Smith could take 50,000 of the 66,000 or so remaining votes (assuming none are undervotes, which would help Merkley even more) and still lose! Score it! :bounce: