OR-Sen: Smith Gets Big Name Challenger

Oregon House Speaker Jeff Merkley is apparently taking on incumbent Senator Gordon Smith (R-Oregon) next year.

Smith, a two term Republican in a blue state, is considered one of the many vulnerable GOP incumbents in the 2008 election.

Merkley's decision comes after Congressmen Peter DeFazio of Eugene and Earl Blumenaeur of Portland both declined to run for Smith's seat.

Smith is perhaps slightly safer than his colleagues thanks to his opposition to the continuation of the Iraq war. Still, Oregon is pretty left-leaning and a Democratic blowout can do for Oregon what it did for Rhode Island last year.