As you may have seen, Gordon Smith is apparently the "change" candidate in this election cycle. Who knew! I didn't realize a special-interest Republican incumbent like Smith could be the change candidate. But this is a funny time.

So what does Jeff Merkley do when Smith sets his sights on him? He fights.

Here's his new ad, hitting back at Gordon Smith's ridiculous negative attack:

As the Politicker OR piece says, "some insiders – maybe even most of them – believe that Republican incumbent Gordon Smith would rather face [Steve] Novick in the general election." If the above ad is any indication, this is the sort of spirited fight we're going to get from Jeff Merkley if he's our Democratic nominee. And it's why Smith may be worrying a little: Gordo throws a laughable punch? Jeff punches back. After all, with a record like Smith's, there's plenty of room to "work the body" in boxing parlance.

This ad shows me exactly what I want to see in a Democratic challenger to Smith: rapid response; hard-hitting; and straight-up facts on how Smith is a special interest tool. That last message is especially important: as everyday Oregonians get to know Smith's real record, his time in the Senate will get shorter and shorter until, at last and with a lot of hard work (and maybe a little luck), it comes crashing down in November.

Oregonians want results and someone dedicated to their issues-- not just rhetoric and election-year promises. Jeff Merkley's clearly the former, and Gordon Smith is unquestionably the latter.

Ballots have arrived. Want real change and a fight against Smith? For me, that means Jeff Merkley.