(CNN) - Oregon Sen. Gordon Smith has conceded defeat to Democratic challenger Jeff Merkley in his re-election bid, CNN has confirmed.
Smith personally called Merkley earlier Thursday to concede the race, according to Merkley spokeswoman Julie Edwards. Smith is also expected to publicly admit defeat in a press conference later Thursday.
Election Center: Check out the results in Oregon
With 100 percent of the counties reporting, Merkley received 48.4 percent of the vote to Smith's 46 percent.
Smith's defeat means Democrats now hold 57 seats in the Senate. The outcomes of three races remain unclear - Alaska, Minnesota, and Georgia.
From CNN Politics
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Smith tried to run as a moderate and and bipartisan. His record indicates otherwise. Voters were not fooled.
Nobody left to blame...you will finally see that the liberal left is what causes the problems, not solves them. Will the News networks still coddle Obama when we reach double digit interest rates and unemployment.
As an Oregonian I am proud to call Jeff Merkley my Senator and proud that we cast our electoral votes for Barack Obama.
Amazing how all these Republicans seem to be throwing in the towel so easily against these Democrats..much like Gore and Kerry did in their presidential bids against Bush (but that's another story)...could it be that it's all been rigged to get big "O" his much needed Senate majority...hmmm
Let's get the last three in the Democratic column.
lanslide,that is what iam talking about.
Good. We will get this country heading in the right direction. Now the Republican power grabbers will have to work with the Democrats and stop filibustering our future.
The GOP is whining and nervous about an imbalance of power...UH...we didnt hear any complaints from them when Bush controlled the executive branch, GOp controlled congress and Bush appointed 2 ultra conservative justices to the SCT...no checks and balances for 6 years..and look at the mess Bush & Co. made. Obama will have bi partisan support, GOP leaders in his admin and lead fromt he center, listening to all voices.
Bye Bye Gordon!! Next: Norm Coleman, Saxby Chambliss, and Ted Stevens...What does it say about a state that elects a convicted felon back to the Senate and supports a hockey mom pitbull as VP???
Change is here..get ready..Obama has a mandate..and his win and the wins in Congress are a repudiation of GOp policies and tactics...
still awaiting sara the liar palin medical record.
Out with the old, in with the new!
Bob,
I love the folks suggesting this election was rigged. If Obama 'rigged' getting 62+ million people to vote for him, and vote in 7 new Dem senators and very, very nearly 60. Then he is even better than I thought, and should be allowed to run for 3, 4 even 5 terms.
Obama 08, 12, 16, 20, 24, etc.
my right wing friends dont blame macain for your defeat,its the liar and racists palin who you should be blamed. anyone who cannot name a news paper she reads is a moron
Awesome, now let's hope Franken comes through and Martin wins the run-off election.
I live in Oregon and I'm a Republican. I didn't vote for any candidate for Senate this time. Gordon Smith was practically a Democrat. In order get a real Republican on the ballot in the future we have to get the faux Republican out of the picture. So let Merkley in now and get a good conservative candidate next time. Gordon Smith lost his Republican base by going too far left. All his campaign ads were about how good of a Democrat he is. We agree.
The market has dropped 7% since Obama was elected. Where's the coverage?
Good good good good, this surely is a new era! Keep `em coming.
Oh Happy Day!!!!!
For a state where all ballots are completed well in advance of the election and are mailed in, the vote counting was angonizingly slow. Why is Oregon the last to report a full count?
Three to go now. The Democrats will have to decide if Lieberman's support of McCain is aggravating enough to show him the door to the Repub washroom. I would be amused at the seriously paranoid rantings of some conservative folks on this site if they weren't so vicious. Obama is going to be inclusive and govern from the center. Give the man a chance to show what he can do. I'm sure that if McCain had won a decent interval would have been requested.
Since Senator Bernie Sanders, an independent, always caucuses and votes with Democrats – the Democrats now have 58 Senate votes.
I am happy to see the Republican party continue it's march to become a regional party composed of religious fanatics.
I keep trying the check out the latest election results, but the site isn't working. You can get them at MSNBC.com
Now if Franken can get a recount in his favor and that Stevens somehow lost....
To Mark PDX - I totally agree about Smith. He's been swinging to the left for a couple of years now - not fooling anybody on the left that he'd changed his tune, and alienating his base at the same time. It's no wonder he lost.
Any politician needs to have the courage of his/her convictions and stand by them - not swing with political winds.
Sorry RNC.... you had your time....FAR MORE than you ever deserved... this is a new day, a new time and EVERYONE in the U.S (yes...including white people who do NOT think like you) have spoken...WE ARE DONE WITH YOU AND TIRED OF YOU – Move on now and accept your defeat with a little dignity at least.
Can anyone say congradulations to Senator-Elect Jeff Merkley! Thanks for defeating a fake moderate in Senator Gordon Smith!