(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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It has been a hard road with smith representing oregon. He has been torn and done little for all in oregon. We as a people of the state are now better represented
Great news! Now if things could only turn a bit in MN and AK.... GA is a wash!
GORDON's sycophantic campaign reminded me of sneaky a$$ turncoat JOE LIEBERMAN.
Hey Bob – you own a T.V. right??? You do read say... oh I don't know... THE NEWS PAPER don't 'cha??? or are you following in Hockey Mom's footsteps??? Constantly running off your mouth with NO fact or Proof to back it up? Simply making statements in the hopes of inciting more idiots like yourself to "gather"....... here's a word for 'ya you may wanna look up "LANDSLIDE" .... mean anything to ya???
Yes and the market has dropped almost everyday since mid Sept and will continue to do so for a long time to come. EIGHT YEARS OF MISMANAGEMENT WON'T CLEAR UP JUST BECAUSE ANOTHER PERSON IS NOW PRESIDENT ELECT. Wake up, grow up and let's all hope that the Republicans in thew Congress will not obstruct Obama's plans to get things moving in the right direction.
BTW, we still have only one President RIGHT NOW, Republican GW Bush. What's he doing to fix this?
wooohooo! another republican wingnut gone!
Hey Smooth – yes the market is down and it would have been down if mcCain had been elected. Have you been sleeping the past two months? We have been told for two months now that this recession will go into 2009 and to expect more job losses and that the market has not reached bottom yet.
When top economists told us weeks ago that the sky was falling, did you honestly believe for one moment that whoever takes office would be responsible?
The responsibility lies the current administration.
That was bright, Marc PDX. No doubt you have an improved conservative outlook with Merkley. You don't have enough intelligent neighbors to get a conservative senator. Your state has consistently voted for the socialists for president, senator, and governor. And now you proudly note that you have taken revenge on the lone GOP voice of partial reason because he was not conservative enough for you. You deserve your neighbors and all they inflict on you.
OUTSTANDING!! Its time for America to be represented AND NOT CORPORATE AMERICA!! We the people hold the power lets use it for the better good and lead the world by example again
Obama picks an attack dog for Chief of Staff. Really sets the tone for a new kind of politics in Washington. But I suppose the 'palace guard' lap dog national media will spin a positive story out of it for him.
you republicans bring our country to it's knees, and now you are complaining that the majority of us want change? what a bunch of antiamerican fascists!
Any GOP loss is good for America and good for me. The less arms President Obama has to twist to get this country righted, the better.
TO THOSE BLAMING THE MARKET DROP OF THE LAST 2 DAYS ,ON THE ELECTION OF BARACK OBAMA, I SAY GET REAL. THE MARKET HAS BEEN VOLATILE ,AND ON A ROLLER COASTER RIDE FOR THE LAST 6 WEEKS. THE MARKET WILL COME BACK. IT WILL TAKE A LONG TIME FOR THE CORRUPTION IN THE SYSTEM TO BE PURGED, AND CONFIDENCE RESTORED. GO OBAMA.
This is karmic retribution for the chruch of LDS meddling in Prop 8. No mormons in gov't.
What poor winners the Dems are. Makes me sad I voted for Obama. Why rag on Palin now? The name calling is disgusting. As for the McCain aids talking about the campaign- Big mouths that are not worthy of working in that field ever again. I wouldn't trust them to take out my garbage.
Oh Lord I pray that Saxby Chambliss is next. I don't think the numbers will be in the democratic favor but he should go. He is not an honorable man and not good for Georgia.
Smooth Barry, What have you done to the Market?
Barry aka Obama does not start till 1/20/09. Which world are you living in, we are still in 2008. Go hide in a cave if you are not able to keep up with todays world. BTW, where were you a few weeks ago when the market was down and during the bailout, is this an early sign of Alzheimer's....
The cause: POLICIES of BUSH/McCAIN.
SWEET!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I have been waiting on this news, one of the voting machines broke down in a larger county that delayed the vote being counted. Congrats to Jeff Merkley !!!
The market going down has nothing to do with Obama being elected.
It is the economic news.
Obama is not in power yet, we are still suffering from the old policies of trickle down.
The bailout has not worked...
but the main problem with the market is the economy is slowing, unemployment is up, and spending is down.
This has nothing to do with Obama being elected.
For those looking to balme him already...take economics 101
Like Lincoln Chaffe, Gordon Smith was one of the most moderate Republican's from GOP. Last Tuesday, Smith's 2 cousin's won Senate races from New Mexico and Colorado as Democrats. Lincoln Chaffe lost in 2006 from Rhode Island. Like Lincoln Chafee, Gordon Smith is a very nice fellow..
I guess being an "R" is not a good sign since 2006. That is Sad...
__________
Smooth Barry, What have you done to the Market:
The market has dropped 7% since Obama was elected. Where's the coverage?
____________
You need to get a little Education. Obama is not the President, Bush is. Blame your Buddy Bush for this economic meltdown and loosing the Election...
Kind of sad to see one of the last rational Republicans head for the door.
If there are any more like him hiding in the weeds, maybe they should take this opportunity to cross the isle.
With any luck, Joe Loserman will be freeing up a seat.
Please, Leave Joe Lieberman alone. We all have the right to support whomever we want for president. This does not make him a disloyal Democrat. If it were not for the Palin selction and the 180 degree turn that Senator McCain did I would have supported McCain. Lieberman has his values and ideologies that need to be respected.
Joe, I think you're a great statesman. We need more statesmen and fedwer politicians.
Its sad that a moderate Republican like Gordon Smith, (who broke ranks with Bush to eventually withdraw support for the war), was defeated while the idiotic hardliner and convicted felon Ted Stevens is elected.
As a SW WA resident and staunch Democrat whose news came primarily from the Portland market, I was very familiar with both Merkley and Smith. While I did not always agree with Smith's choices, I always thought him a good man who worked hard for Oregon. Had I been able to vote across the river, I would have found it difficult to choose between the two candidates, as I have always believed that Smith's choices were well anchored in what he thought best for the state.
I'm certainly not sorry Merkley won, but, oddly, I am somewhat sorry Smith lost.
It's not a vendetta, it's only to free poor Joe Liberman who obviously does no longer feel at home with the Democratic Party:
CAN SOMEONE, PLEASE, SHOW HIM THE WAY OUT OF THE PARTY???