New U.S Senator Jeff Merkley may have got himself elected last November, but his campaign has sent out an email this afternoon to supporters, asking for donations get itself out of debt.
MERKLEY: PROBABLY SPENT ALL HIS CAMPAIGN CASH ON PLAID JACKETS AIMED AT OREGON’S HANK STAMPERS…
Merkley won a bitter fight with former Republican senator Gordon Smith, but says the campaign had to spend more than it received in donations because of Smith’s dirty tricks. Here’s the email:
Dear Friend,
Because of your support, we won one of the toughest races in the country last November. Your trust keeps me focused and working hard every day to get our country back on track.
But as a result of the millions of dollars in attack ads that my opponent and right-wing outside groups ran against me in the 2008 election cycle, my campaign had to go into debt in order to keep fighting.
Please help me retire my debt. Make a contribution today!
Merkley asks for donations of $50, $25, or $10. We’ll have a firm figure for the total campaign debt from his people, of the Federal Elections Commission, soon. But to state the obvious: It’s a bad time to be asking for money in Oregon politics.
Update, 1:56pm: Merkley has a campaign debt of $514,909.77 according to the FEC. His rival, Gordon Smith, meanwhile, is in just $58,714.51 of debt.
I voted for him. Isn’t that enough?
Attacking your political opponent is dirty tricks?
Only if he promises to spend my donation on a shirt and tie. Maybe this is where Wurster takes his dressing cues….
Merkley’s deputy communications director Marc Siegel, who is not part of the campaign, answers a few questions: “The campaign ended with about $500,000 of debt which Senator Merkley has been working off,” he says. “His campaign will report a few hundred thousand less than that, soon. Debt is common for statewide campaigns.”
Why is everyone ragging on his plaid? He dresses like he fucking lives here. Good on him.
He’s wearing a collared shirt over a collared shirt, dude.
Oh, wait. That’s a jacket.
stupid jacket and shirt comments…. this guy ran the creep smith out of The Office that most citizens around these parts, get arrested just trying to walk into. I have no money to help with this, but I am sure glad Jeff improve Oregon by removing the non “Representative” mr smith. I hope he can drum up the money …it sure was worth it!
That’s right, oregon. The pattern is complete. elect someone who can’t handle his finances so he begs the elctorate to pay it back for him.
Fuck you Merkley. You, and much of the government, is why we are in a depression currently.