Coming off a legislative session in which Oregon Democrats, enjoying their first majority in years, passed a number of long-cherished bills, House Speaker Jeff Merkley is hoping to ride what he called "a wave of enthusiasm" all the way to the U.S. Senate.

Merkley painted Republican incumbent Gordon Smith as out of step with most Americans and said, "I see the Senate campaign as a referendum on the future of the country."

Merkley announced on Wednesday that he was jumping into the 2008 Senate race. He spent part of Thursday in Corvallis with House Majority Leader Dave Hunt and fellow Democrat Sara Gelser, the state representative for District 16. The three stopped by the Gazette-Times office before heading off to talk with citizens about the recent legislative session at the Benton County Fair and a town hall meeting at the Corvallis library.

Merkley linked Smith's voting record with the policies of the Bush administration and said he thought the senator was vulnerable on a number of issues, including the war in Iraq.

"Yes, Sen. Smith changed his position, but he changed his position immediately after an election that proved him to be out of synch with the vast majority of Americans," Merkley said.

He said he would campaign on improving the economic condition of the middle class, reducing the national debt and making sure all Americans had access to health care.

"Health care should be a fundamental right for every citizen," Merkley said.

Merkley, 51, was born in Myrtle Creek and grew up in Roseburg and Portland, where he lives now. He's in his fifth term as the state representative from District 42, his first as House speaker.

Smith has been targeted for defeat by Democratic operatives, but the party's early efforts to recruit a big-name challenger fell short. Both former Gov. John Kitzhaber and 4th District Congressman Peter DeFazio spurned attempts to persuade them to run.

Smith, a wealthy Pendleton businessman, was elected to the Oregon Legislature in 1992 and has served in the U.S. Senate since 1997. In recent months he has tried to distance himself from an increasingly unpopular George Bush, speaking out against the president's war strategy in Iraq.

Already in the ring against Smith is Steve Novick, a lawyer and political activist from Portland.

One place where Merkley could prove vulnerable is in the arena of campaign funding.

Smith recently announced he already has a war chest of $3.5 million and plans to raise $10 million for the 2008 campaign.

"This could never be a competition of who can raise the most money," Merkley said. "I concede that race to Senator Smith right now."

But he noted that several incumbents lost their seats in last year's midterm elections and suggested the race would be decided by issues, not funding.

Bennett Hall can be reached at 758-9529 or bennett.hall@lee.net.