Democratic Senate candidate Jeff Merkley speaks to the press outside his party's election night celebration in Portland, Ore., Tuesday, Nov. 4, 2008. Merkley won the close race Thursday, Nov. 6, 2008, defeating incumbent Republican Sen. Gordon Smith. (AP Photo/Chris Ryan)

In this April 4, 2008 file photo, Oregon House Speaker Jeff Merkley takes part in a debate in Portland, Ore., Friday, April 4, 2008. (AP Photo/Don Ryan, File)

In this May 31, 2008 file photo, Jeff Merkley, the statehouse speaker and Democratic candidate for the U.S. Senate, with his wife Mary Sorteberg, left, greets supporters with Sen. Ron Wyden, back, at a rally in Portland, Ore. A tough environment for Republicans has put Oregon into play in the 2008 Senate race, and Merkley is challenging Sen. Gordon Smith, R-Ore., a two-term moderate Republican so eager to distance himself from his party that he ran an ad boasting of his ties to Obama. (AP Photo/Greg Wahl-Stephens, File)

U.S Senate candidate Jeff Merkley celebrates after winning the primary election against Steve Novick in Portland, Ore Tuesday May 20, 2008 At his side is wife Mary Sorteberg. (AP Photo/Steve Slocum)

Democratic U.S Senate candidate Jeff Merkley,left, looks over primary election returns with campaign manager Jon Isaacs in Portland, Ore., Tuesday May 20, 2008. (AP Photo/Steve Slocum)

In this Aug. 27, 2007 file photo, Oregon House Speaker Jeff Merkley speaks during a interview in Portland, Ore. Merkley seems to have all the advantages as he seeks to become his party's nominee against incumbent Sen. Gordon Smith, the last Republican left standing on the West Coast. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer)