One of Oregon鈥檚 two seats in the U-S Senate is up for grabs this election season. The frontrunners are incumbent Democrat Jeff Merkley and Republican Monica Wehby.
Merkley has a 3-to-1 fundraising advantage over his challenger. But out-of-state groups with undisclosed donors have spent millions in so-called 鈥渄ark money鈥� on ads attacking Merkley.
On a recent Saturday morning in Portland, Jeff Merkley met with volunteers at one of his offices.
Retiree Carol Adler was there to show her support.
鈥淚 just think he鈥檚 terrific. I鈥檝e been volunteering a bit here and I had a house party for him where I live,鈥� Adler said.
Twenty-five miles south, at the Clackamas County Fair, Monica Wehby is shaking hands with people when 26-year-old Kevin Moss hands her a campaign donation.
鈥淪he鈥檚 genuine. You look in her eyes and you can see the sincerity that she cares. Very few politicians, if any, can do that.鈥�
While they both might enjoy the kudos on the campaign trail, Wehby and Merkley are two very different candidates.
They have separate views on business, international trade and the role of government.
What exactly Wehby wants to do became a little fuzzy last week, after news organizations pointed out she had copied from Karl Rove and other Republicans. In response, her campaign pulled down the 鈥渋ssues鈥� section of her site.
What we do know, is that Wehby is a neurosurgeon and the Director of Pediatric Neurosurgery at Randall Children鈥檚 Hospital. She says she鈥檚 running to help small businesses, among others.
鈥淯ncertainty about government regulation, government interference in their business. What taxes are there going to be? How are they going to change. All sorts of issues that are going on that are making it difficult for our business owners to continue to grow their practices and hire people,鈥� Wehby said.
, Wehby is endorsed by the and the . She鈥檚 also raised more than $2 million.
Jeff Merkley has raised almost $7 million. says he has the endorsement of the and the .
Like Wehby, Merkley says he also has problems with government interference in business. But for him, that interference revolves around the loss of family wage jobs and corporate tax subsidies.
鈥淲e鈥檝e been off-shoring those jobs for subsidies,鈥� he said.
鈥淭hat is illogical to subsidize your competition overseas. We have to end that. We need to nurture manufacturing. We need to increase our investment in education. These things that are going to pay off and allow families to thrive,鈥� he explained.
What Wehby and Merkley can agree on is the need to reduce the federal deficit. She lays the blame for it at the feet of Democrats and Oregon鈥檚 incumbent senator.
鈥淵ou know Senator Merkley believes that the answer to everything is bigger government, more government control, more regulations,鈥� said Wehby.
But Merkley says that鈥檚 not how he sees things.
鈥淭his deficit is a direct result of the Bush Administration polices that blew up the economy. I鈥檓 determined that we eliminate it. Go back to the equivalent of the Clinton Administration where we were running a surplus. Under the last five years we鈥檝e cut the deficit to roughly a third about 35 percent of its peak,鈥� Merkley says.
So far, much of the campaign debate has centered on outside money and in particular funding for ads like one released by the .
Merkley talks a lot about the group鈥檚 ties to the conservative Koch Brothers.
鈥淭he Koch Brothers values are the absolute opposite of our Oregon values,鈥� said Merkley.
鈥淣ow they have laid out an agenda. She鈥檚 signed onto eight items in their agenda. She鈥檚 done so in writing. But these are not values that serve us well.鈥�
奥别丑产测鈥檚&苍产蝉辫;谤别蝉辫辞苍蝉别?
鈥淲e can鈥檛 control who comes into the races, what super PACs get involved. We have no communication with these people,鈥� she says.
In answer to the ad, Merkley says he鈥檚 authored numerous pieces of legislation that have become law including the , which banned certain banks from making big bets; and the Water Infrastructure Financing and Innovation Act 鈥� to help communities fund water repairs. He also points to his efforts to change mortgage laws and predatory lending practices.
For her part, Wehby says her experience as a physician makes her uniquely suited to deal with changes to the health care system. She鈥檚 been a staunch critic of the Affordable Care Act.
In addition to Wehby and Merkley, there are three other candidates listed on November鈥檚 ballot: with the Constitution Party; of the Pacific Green Party and of the Libertarian Party.
None of them have reported any activity with the Federal Election Commission.
Copyright 2014 Oregon Public Broadcasting