Last August, I was offered the job of a lifetime (for me):
Jeff Merkley hired me to be the Netroots Outreach Coordinator for his U.S. Senate campaign.
I started my blogging career as one of the co-founders of Preemptive Karma and later as one of the co-founders of Loaded Orygun. I managed to do some pretty decent work over at those blogs that I’m very proud of. I worked very hard to write solid, independent pieces that reported the goings on in Oregon politics and culture from my progressive perspective.
I interviewed Jeff in 2006 just after the Oregon House flipped from the Karen Minnis led Republican hands to Democrat, due in large part to Jeff’s personal effort and strategic vision. I remember being so impressed by his sharp mind and thoughtful way of speaking. And the way he looked me in the eye when he talked to me—unabashedly honest.
That Summer, both the Jeff Merkley campaign and the Steve Novick campaign talked to me about coming to work for them. I had met and interviewed Steve not long after he decided to run for Senate. Steve is wildly-wonky smart and witty. I knew his resume of working for progressive causes and being a campaign advisor to many Oregon Democrats. I also knew he was well connected in establishment political circles in Oregon. And for awhile I decided to support Steve’s candidacy.
And then I met again with Jeff Merkley. We sat and talked in a small coffee shop over iced teas. We discussed what he’d done in recent years with the Oregon House races—how he’d led the strategy and made the decisions with his team to find quality candidates and run top-notch campaigns. We also talked more deeply about his time as Speaker of the Oregon House and the sort of coalition building it takes to pass the kind of incredible progressive legislation we saw under Jeff in the legislature. And do it with a razor thin majority.
Jeff also spoke with me about how he wanted to take those skills of coalition building to the US Senate. The ability to bring legislators together to get progressive bills passed really brought it home for me. Especially after having been so frustrated watching the U.S. Senate continually founder around, unable to make headway for progressive issues.
After that meeting with Jeff, I knew where I belong.
My heart and my blogging home has, since August, been with Jeff Merkley.
With the primary hitting the home stretch, Gordon Smith has interjected himself into the race. Smith's polling is very soft and its clear he's running scared.
Most recently, Smith launched a false and negative TV ad, solely aimed at Jeff Merkley. Over at Blue Oregon, Jeff Alworth of Blue Oregon calls it trying to hand-select his opponent.".
Jeff Merkley has already shown he's ready to take Smith on, releasing two ads that take direct aim:
Gordon Smith knows he's very vulnerable. And Oregon progressives are about to come together with independents and moderates around the State to send Smith packing.
Carla--Netroots Outreach, Jeff Merkley for Oregon