Jeff Merkley on Civil Rights

Democratic Senate Challenger; member of State House

Ok to define marriage against polygamy or same-sex

Senator Gordon H. Smith (R-OR) compared homosexual marriage to the persecution of Mormons in the 19th century. "My campaign people will kill me for saying this, but... Part of what I fear as you start defining marriage--we have a long history of doing that in this country, and my Mormon pioneer ancestors were the victims of that. I don't want that coming back," said the Republican legislator. Smith supported a federal law defining marriage as "between one man and one woman." However, he says his Mormon background helps him empathize with victims of discrimination. Gordon says he does not want to create a much bigger problem in the gay and lesbian community. Gordon's Democratic opponent, Jeff Merkley's (D-OR) campaign released the statement saying that Smith "appears he is defending polygamy and believes it was wrong for the government to establish a definition of marriage as between one man and one woman." Source: Campaign Summaries on www.dcpoliticalreport.com Jun 17, 2008

Apply affirmative action to state hiring

Q: On affirmative action: Should race, ethnicity or gender be taken into account in state agencies' decisions on: Public employment?

A: Yes.

Q: State college and university admissions?

A: Yes.

Q: State contracting?

A: Yes.

Source: Oregon State 1998 National Political Awareness Test Nov 1, 1998

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*Other candidates on Civil Rights:*		*Jeff Merkley on other issues:*
*OR Gubernatorial:* Ted Kulongoski *OR Senatorial:* Dave Brownlow Gordon Harold Smith Ron Wyden *2008 Senate retirements:* Wayne Allard(R,CO) Larry Craig(R,ID) Pete Domenici(R,NM) Chuck Hagel(R,NE) Trent Lott(R,MS) Craig Thomas(R,WY) John Warner(R,VA) *2008 Presidential Contenders:* Chuck Baldwin(C) Rep.Bob Barr(L) Sen.Hillary Clinton(D) Sen.Mike Gravel(L) Alan Keyes(C) Sen.John McCain(R) Rep.Cynthia McKinney(G) Ralph Nader(I) Sen.Barack Obama(D) Rep.Ron Paul(R)	*2008 Senate Races:* AK:Stevens v.Begich v.Cuddy v.Sikma AL:Sessions v.Figures AR:Pryor v.Kennedy CO:Schaffer v.Udall DE:Biden v.O`Donnell GA:Chambliss v.Cardwell v.Jones v.Buckley IA:Harkin v.Reed ID:Risch v.LaRocco IL:Durbin v.Sauerberg v.Stafford KS:Roberts v.Jones v.Slattery KY:McConnell v.Lunsford LA:Landrieu v.Kennedy MA:Kerry v.O`Reilly v.Beatty ME:Collins v.Allen MI:Levin v.Hoogendyk MN:Coleman v.Franken v.Ventura v.Cavlan v.Pallmeyer MS4:Wicker v.Musgrove MS6:Cochran v.Fleming MT:Baucus v.Kelleher NC:Dole v.Hagan NE:Johanns v.Kleeb v.Raimondo v.Larrick NH:Sununu v.Shaheen NJ:Lautenberg v.Zimmer NM:Wilson v.Pearce v.Udall OR:Smith v.Merkley v.Frohnmayer v.Brownlow OK:Inhofe v.Rice RI:Reed v.Young v.Tingley SC:Graham v.Cone v.Conley v.McBride SD:Johnson v.Dykstra TN:Alexander v.Eaton v.Padgett v.Tuke v.Lugo TX:Cornyn v.Noriega v.Jameson VA:Gilmore v.Warner v.Marshall WV:Rockefeller v.Wolfe WY4:Barrasso v.Carter v.Goodenough WY6:Enzi v.Rothfuss	Abortion Budget/Economy Civil Rights Corporations Crime Drugs Education Energy/Oil Environment Families Foreign Policy Free Trade Govt. Reform Gun Control Health Care Homeland Security Immigration Jobs Principles Social Security Tax Reform Technology War/Peace Welfare Other Senators House of Representatives SenateMatch (matching quiz) Senate Votes (analysis) House Votes Bill Sponsorships Affiliations Policy Reports Group Ratings

Page last updated: 7/2/2008