Eastern Oregonian to Merkley: Bend is not Eastern Oregon

Article from the Eastern Oregonian.

Merkley snubs Eastern Oregon
Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate Jeff Merkley recently launched his campaign with an eight-city tour, but the Oregon Republican Party criticized Merkley for not having any stops in Eastern Oregon.

Here is what the Merkley campaign said in response in a news release:

“Perhaps the Oregon Republican Party should check a map of Oregon, which shows that Bend is in fact located east of the Cascade Mountains. Then there was last weekend, when Jeff and a bunch of folks from Team Merkley spent the weekend at the Oregon Summit in Sunriver (near Bend). Interestingly, Sunriver is also east of the Cascades.”

Well, perhaps Merkley and his staff should check a map. Bend – as Eastern Oregonians well know – is in central Oregon.

Just because something is east of the Cascade Mountains doesn’t mean it’s in Eastern Oregon. People who are natives of the Portland-metro area or Willamette Valley – and who never leave there – regularly make that mistake.

Merkley could have said he was coming to Eastern Oregon instead of issuing the ignorant statement he did. But his attitude is all too familiar out here.

If he does manage to somehow find his way past Biggs Junction and deeper into Eastern Oregon, no doubt locals will treat him with the respect his campaign apparently doesn’t know how to extend.