Obama Cuts Ad for Merkley

Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama has cut a TV ad for Oregon Senate candidate Jeff Merkley.

The 30-second advertisement, running statewide starting Friday, features Obama personally describing Merkley, the state’s Democratic House speaker, as an agent of “real change.”

“Oregon, you have a choice,” Obama says in the advertisement. “Do you stick with the failed Washington policies that put CEOs and special interests first, or do you choose real change? That change is Jeff Merkley.”

Obama has a 14-point lead in the Beaver State over GOP rival John McCain, according to a Riley Research poll released Friday of 499 registered voters. The poll, conducted from Oct. 10 to Monday, shows Merkley with only a one-point lead over Republican incumbent Gordon Smith.

–J. Taylor Rushing