Jeff Merkley has been elected to another term in the U.S. Senate, according to early returns from the Oregon Secretary of State.
The Democrat had received about 57% of the vote shortly after 8:00 p.m. Tuesday, returns showed. The Associated Press called the race Tuesday evening.
“Tonight is the night that we toppled Trumpism,” Merkley said at the Democratic Party’s election event in downtown Portland. “We are saying hell no to Trump’s authoritarian take over of our Constitution tonight.”
Merkley, who is 70, has served nearly 18 years in Congress. He temporarily considered retiring from Congress last year, but decided to run again due to concerns over what he sees as the Trump administration’s threats to democracy.
Merkley is leading state Sen. David Brock Smith, a Port Orford Republican. He vastly outraised Brock Smith and was supported by a nationwide push among Democrats seeking to push back against the Republican Congressional majority.
Merkley will be 76 by the end of another term. He has pledged to push back against dark money in politics, overhaul the filibuster and curb climate change. If Democrats regain control of the chamber, Merkley would be well-positioned to become the chair of the Senate Budget Committee.
He says he would use that power to cut down the nation’s debt, in part by tackling wasteful defense spending and reversing Republican-backed tax breaks that he sees as benefiting billionaires.