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Nov 3, 2026 · vote by mail

Oregon - United States Senate

Three-term senator Jeff Merkley faces state Sen. David Brock Smith. Oregon hasn't sent a Republican to the Senate since 2002.

JM
Jeff Merkley
Democrat - Age: 69

U.S. senator since 2009, seeking a fourth term. Former speaker of the Oregon House.

Campaign website →
DS
David Brock Smith
Republican - Age: 49

State senator for Oregon's south coast; former restaurant owner and Curry County commissioner.

Campaign website →
Who's ahead? CookSOLID DSabatoSAFE DDDHQSAFE D
Ratings: Cook Political Report (Aug 20), Sabato’s Crystal Ball (Aug 26), Decision Desk HQ (Aug 5). Source →

This one isn't close. Every major forecaster rates Oregon safely Democratic: Merkley has won his last three races comfortably, Republicans haven't won a statewide race here since 2016, and Smith reported minimal fundraising through the primary. There's no meaningful public polling because nobody expects a contest.

Consensus of race ratings (Cook, Sabato, Inside Elections) As of July 1

Where they stand

Tap a topic that's important to you.

MERKLEY SAYS
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SMITH SAYS
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Money & campaign finance

Where each candidate stands on campaign-finance questions.

MERKLEY
SMITH
Yes Ban Congress from trading stocks Unknown
No Takes corporate PAC money Unknown

Sources: Merkley authored the ETHICS Act · Merkley stopped taking corporate PAC money (OPB)

Fundraising
RAISEDCASH ON HANDUNDER-$200 DONORS
Jeff Merkley
$4.5M$6.8M23% of receipts
David Brock Smith
$121K$29K29% of receipts

Campaign committee totals for the 2025–26 cycle, through June 30, 2026. Under-$200 share is unitemized individual contributions divided by total receipts. FEC filings →

Their big promises

MERKLEY'S TOP 3
Housing for everyone
His signature issue: massive federal investment in affordable housing and homelessness programs.
Check the Trump administration
Defend free speech, due process, and Oregonians' rights; rebuild ICE "down to the studs" with real accountability.
Climate & wildfire resilience
Clean-energy transition plus federal funding for wildfire prevention and recovery.
SMITH'S TOP 3
Manage forests, stop megafires
Active management and logging on federal lands to cut wildfire fuel and revive timber towns.
Rural jobs first
Back the fish, farm, forestry, and tourism economies of coastal and rural Oregon.
Border security & public safety
Support the administration's immigration enforcement and tougher crime policies.

Agree or differ?

More federal wildfire resources for Oregon
Both want more — Merkley through appropriations for prevention and recovery, Smith through active forest management
AGREE
Protecting the south coast from sudden oak death
The two have actually worked together on this — Smith partnered with Merkley's office as a county commissioner
AGREE
ICE and mass deportations
Merkley: voted "hell no" on ICE funding, wants it rebuilt with accountability · Smith: backs the administration's enforcement
DIFFER
End the Senate filibuster
Merkley has led the fight to reform it for over a decade · Smith opposes
DIFFER
Logging on federal lands
Smith: expand it to fund counties and cut fire risk · Merkley: favors targeted thinning with environmental protections
DIFFER
Abortion
Merkley supports federal protections for abortion rights · Smith opposes
DIFFER

Their stories

JEFF MERKLEY
1956Born in Myrtle Creek, a timber town; raised in working-class Portland.
1998Elected to the Oregon House; rose to become its speaker.
2008Unseated Republican Sen. Gordon Smith; re-elected easily in 2014 and 2020.
2026Runs for a fourth term, citing the "darkness and danger" of the Trump era.
DAVID BROCK SMITH
RootsThird-generation Port Orford; ran his family's restaurant, the Port & Starboard.
2012Elected Curry County commissioner after years on the city council and school board.
2017Joined the Oregon House; appointed to the state Senate in 2023.
2026Won a seven-way GOP primary with 29.5% to take on Merkley.
Positions summarized from campaign websites, voting records, and news reports · July 2026
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