Merkley Campaign Launches First Television Campaign Ad

Jeff Merkley is running against Republican challenger Dr. Monica Wehby, who is currently the Director of Pediatric Neurosurgery at Randall Children’s Hospital in Portland, Oregon.

Photo Courtesy: Jeff Merkley Campaign

(PORTLAND, Ore. ) - The Jeff Merkley campaign on Wednesday, released its first television ad, "Fighter," which highlights Jeff fighting for Oregon's middle class.

Jeff grew up in a working-class family. The son of a sawmill worker in Myrtle Creek and Roseburg, he was the first in his family to go to college. In the Senate Jeff's taken on powerful special interests like the big banks to make college more affordable.

He's sponsored legislation to protect Social Security and Medicare, and forced millionaires to pay their fair share. He'll always fight for the middle class.

"Jeff Merkley will never forget where he came from, that's why he's a fighter for Oregon's middle class," said Merkley campaign spokesman Andrew Zucker.

"Jeff's taken on powerful special interests like the big banks, Wall Street and even China in order to make college more affordable, strengthen the middle class and protect jobs here at home. He's fought to protect Social Security and Medicare, and make millionaires pay their fair share – he'll always put Oregon's priorities first."

According to The Hill, “Last month, Sen. Merkley (D-Ore.) announced plans to introduce a bill to increase the annual cost-of-living adjustments for Social Security. He proposed to pay for it by raising the Social Security payroll tax rate of the wealthiest Americans -- those who make more than $250,000 per year -- closer to the rate already paid by middle and working class American workers.

Many people don’t know that any income above $117,000 per year is not taxed by Social Security (this limit on the amount of earnings subject to the tax is adjusted annually to keep up with inflation). That means that someone who makes twice the cap this year – $234,000 – pays the tax on only half of his or her wages. And those lucky enough to make at least $1.2 million per year are taxed by Social Security on less than one-tenth of their income.”

Source: Jeff Merkley Campaign