As Oregon approaches its primary election on May 20, House Speaker Jeff Merkley continues to gather significant endorsements. Two publications have recently expressed their support for Merkley in his campaign to secure the Democratic nomination so that he can unseat Gordon Smith in November.
Just Out, the leading magazine for the LGBTQ community in Oregon, published their endorsement of Merkley on April 18. The following day the Eugene Register-Guard, the second largest newspaper in Oregon, also wrote about their support of Merkley.
I was pleased to note how both publications highlighted Merkley’s experience and effectiveness as a legislator, because I decided to support Jeff Merkley after observing these qualities myself. Oregon is fortunate to have two strong progressive candidates, Steve Novick being the other, vying for the Democratic nomination. The policy differences between the two candidates are minimal, so the focus shifts to other factors like experience and personality. These two most recent endorsements reiterate what many people have already said about Jeff Merkley-he’s the candidate with the drive to defeat Gordon Smith and the experience to serve as a great Senator for the state of Oregon.
In reference to the 2007 Oregon House session, over which Merkley presided as Speaker, the Register-Guard wrote
That session was the most productive in recent memory, with important achievements in the areas of education funding, civil rights, consumer protection and budgetary stability . . .
A more convincing demonstration of leadership would be hard to find.
And Just Out wrote that Merkley
has the most proven track record and is best poised to unseat incumbent Gordon Smith.
The endorsements for Merkley continue to bloom.
Personally, I’m most excited about the fact that Max Cleland is coming out to Oregon to campaign with Merkley. Check out Merkley’s endorsements page and you’ll see the long list of endorsements from a wide range of individuals and organizations. I love seeing all this support behind a great candidate like Jeff Merkley. Here’s where you can lend your support too.
What a great diary! The endorsements from Just Out and the Register-Guard are so fantastic. The Reg-Guard is the second largest newspaper in Oregon! Having such a glowing write-up from them is a big boost to the campaign.
For those interested in contributing to Jeff’s campaign, you can also use ActBlue.
For those that haven’t seen the latest Merkley TV ad, it stars Jeff’s wife Mary, a registered nurse:
Carla–Netroots Outreach, Jeff Merkley for U.S. Senate
The tree image is perfect, and should resonate in the very environmentally conscious state of Oregon!
Its clear that Jeff Merkley is the only candidate building the coalition necessary to take on and beat Gordon Smith this fall.
I want a copy of Motion so I can try and pretend I’m a Jeff Merkely ad guru.
I mean, drop dead gorgeous, wow.
Max Cleland and Jeff Merkley will hold two townhall forums, one in Portland and one in Eugene, to discuss how to get us out of Iraq as well as how to better take care of our veterans here at home.
Jeff Merkley’s experience as a weapons analyst with the Pentagon, CBO and NATO make him a unique Senate candidate. His seven years as president of the World Affairs Council of Oregon also distinguish him from every other candidate in every other party.
A great in-depth interview with Merkley which sheds more light on his fascinating background can be found here.
I’m an enthusiastic Merkley supporter, anxious to see Jeff do in Washington what he has here in Oregon…
o Worked with other progressives in the successful effort establish a Democratic majority in the Oregon House;
o Led that majority to enact a broad array of progressive legislation, including:
o Expansion of Head Start, doubling college scholarship programs, and other state support of public education at all levels;
o Curtailed the most egregious predatory lending practices in the state, capping outrageous payday and title loan interest which in some cases had reached 500%;
o Instituted tight ethics rules in the legislature and expanded public financial disclosure requirements for all elected officials;
o Reduced prescription drug costs;
o Insured basic rights through domestic partnerships in the wake of a voter-enacted state constitutional ban on marriage for same-sex couples;
o Furthered Oregon’s leadership position in the fight against global warming, expanding initiatives in alternative energy, conservation and recycling…
And the list goes on! That record, and his opposition to the invasion and occupation of Iraq from the beginning, give me confidence he will make good on his pledge to get us out of that military debacle, fight for healthcare for all Americans, support healthy public schools from Head Start to higher education, end the give-aways to the wealthiest Americans and corporations, end dependence on foreign oil and address global warming, bring to a close the era of unfair trade deals which threaten American jobs and a healthy economy, and defend our civil rights and liberties including full equality for our GLBT citizens and a woman’s right to choose.
What’s not to be enthusiastic about?
and hold two town halls on Iraq lends even more clout to Merkley’s candidacy. I hope Cleland returns to Oregon and helps campaign against Gordon Smith. He’s a real asset to Democrats considering he’s been one of the leading voices on veterans issues for decades.
Planned Parenthood recently endorsed Merkley and that was a biggie as well.
a bit in the middle of an anti-Democrat screed (copied from the Willamette Week):
http://wweek.com/wwire/?p=11583