Oregon Public Broadcasting

National political strategists are watching Oregon's election results closely Wednesday.

In the hotly contested race for the U.S. Senate, incumbent Republican Gordon Smith and Democrat Jeff Merkley are running neck and neck.

Smith told his supporters to go home for some rest as votes in an expensive and grueling campaign are counted.

Gordon Smith: "Ultimately in close elections, after all the ads are run and all the money's poured in, all the debates are held, all the hands are shaken, everybody stands back in awe and watches the will of the American people and the will of Oregon determined."

Across the nation, Democrats increased their majority in the U.S. Senate to 56 seats, but Republicans managed to stop a complete sweep.

Oregon was one of four Senate races involving Republican incumbents that hadn't been decided as of early Wednesday.