Two Democratic Senate Candidates Debate At Portland City Club

ELECTIONS 

By Chris Lehman

Portland, OR  April 7, 2008 10:17 a.m.

The two leading candidates in the Oregon Democratic U-S Senate primary traded barbs in a debate Friday.

Jeff Merkley and Steve Novick are competing to be their party’s choice to take on incumbent Republican Gordon Smith.

The debate at the Portland City Club was the first time Merkley and Novick faced off one-on-one.  The two Democrats were critical of each other’s campaign tactics and styles, accusing each other of negative campaigning.

When Merkley questioned his fellow candidate’s past comments against Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama, Steve Novick said he's not afraid to criticize fellow Democrats when they compromise their principles.

Novick: "I feel passionately about the issues, about the 1st Amendment, about global warming and about the war.  Sometimes in expressing my passionate criticism of specific policies, specific votes Democrats have cast, I have certainly been undiplomatic."

Novick and Merkley will face-off again in a debate Saturday in Newport.  The winner of the May 20th primary will take on incumbent Gordon Smith.

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