Oregon’s Largest Paper Calls Senate Race for Merkley

The Portland Oregonian, Oregon’s largest newspaper, has called the Senate race in favor of Democratic candidate Jeff Merkley.

The Associated Press and other news organizations have not made the call.

The Oregonian notes that incumbent GOP Sen. Gordon Smith’s campaign is still arguing “vigorously that the race isn’t over.”

The paper made its projection based on a “mathematical analysis of the remaining 340,000 votes still being counted out of a total 1.8 million vote cast statewide.”

If the Merkley call stands, Democrats would add one more to their Senate gains this cycle, bringing the total to 57 caucus members. Senate races in Alaska, Minnesota and Georgia yet to be called.

— Manu Raju