OR-Senate candidate Jeff Merkley

[TayTay]

An excellent Democrat who is taking on Gordon Smith for the US Senate. I think I've heard some praise for Mr. Merkley from Jim Rassman, who some might remember from the '04 race. (Jim Rassman was the man that Sen. Kerry saved back in Vietnam. This was the incident in which the Sen. won his Bronze Star.)

Great diary: http://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/2/2/162729/0527/37/448462

[sandnsea]

1. We've got two great candidates

I was totally for Merkley, then I read this and geez it's inspiring.



When the Cottage Grove schools closed temporarily in 1976 due to the failure of a local budget, fourteen-year-old Steve began riding into Eugene each day with a professor who lived in his neighborhood to attend classes at the University of Oregon . After a semester, Steve was allowed to enroll in the University's Honors College . When he graduated in 1981and was accepted to Harvard Law School, the Eugene Register-Guard wrote: "Harvard Law School doesn't make a habit of accepting junior high school dropouts, but in Steven Novick's case Harvard has made an exception."

After working briefly for New York and San Francisco law firms, Steve joined the Environment Division (then known as the "Land and Natural Resources Division") of the United States Department of Justice in 1987. There he brought numerous successful lawsuits against big polluters for violations of the Clean Air Act and Clean Water Act. Perhaps his greatest success was serving as lead counsel on the notorious toxic waste cleanup at Love Canal . In 1995, Steve and his team secured a $129 million settlement from Occidential Chemical to cover the cleanup.

http://www.novickforsenate.org/about_steve

[TayTay]

2. Sandy, that's awesome

It is incredible to have two great candidates running. (Sue me, but I feel that way about the national race as well.) This should energize the voters and result in a great campaign down the stretch for Oregon.

Keep us posted on how it's going. The Senatorial races are extremely important this year.

[benny05]

4. Hope you don't hold it against him

But jeff is a JRE supporter.

[TayTay]

5. LOL, he is a Dem running for the Senate

At some point we unite as Dems behind whomever the primary chooses.

This will do and we will elect more Dems to the US Senate.

[sandnsea]

6. Oh yeah I knew that

or at least figured it by his positions on various issues. No, I don't hold it against him. Our governor endorsed Hillary and I consider it a momentary lapse in judgment from an otherwise outstanding individual. I think he's done better then Kitzhaber even. I'm seriously thinking I will vote for him because that kind of grit deserves rewarding.

[BlueIris]

3. This is going to be fun; Gordo is vile.