Tough Luck.

Oregonian Senator Gordon Smith hoped to woo gay voters with a commercial touting his fight against hate crimes, but Basic Rights Oregon today endorsed his rival, Jeff Merkley. Said BRO executive director Jeana Frazzini, “There is only one thing that fair-minded Oregonians can count on from Gordon Smith, and that is that every six years, he will roll out a hate crimes advertisement in the Portland media market in an effort to look like a moderate. But most national and local gay organizations know the truth about Gordon Smith, and that’s why they decline to endorse him.” [The Oregonian]