Beaver State Democrats can’t seem to find the high-profile incumbent-killer they’re looking for to take on Sen. Gordon Smith — but that isn’t stopping them from targeting the two-term Republican.

The Oregon Democratic Party this week unveiled www.stopgordonsmith.com, a Web site designed to highlight Smith’s legislative record, particularly his past votes in support of the Iraq War.

Smith has since disavowed his support for President Bush’s Iraq strategy, but Democrats claim his stance is hypocritical and contend that his endorsement of Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) for president is proof that he hasn’t actually changed his view on the war.

Meanwhile, the Democrats’ only announced 2008 Senate candidate is attorney and longtime Oregon policy wonk Steve Novick. Novick has been involved in several ballot initiative campaigns in Oregon and previously served as the policy director for now-Gov. Ted Kulongoski’s (D) 2002 gubernatorial campaign.

Novick, who was in Washington, D.C., this week meeting with liberal interest groups — but not with Democratic officials — said in an interview that he had raised about $194,000 during the second quarter of this year. Smith’s second-quarter numbers were unavailable, but he banked $2.8 million to close the first quarter.
— David M. Drucker