Senate hopeful clarifies answers to Vote Smart questions

Jeff Merkley says he agrees with the Supreme Court decision that Americans have a constitutional right to keep handguns at home.

The Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate made the point in response to a question Tuesday during an editorial board interview at the Democrat-Herald.

He also said he supports concealed-carry laws such as Oregon’s. He took issue with part of a recent D-H editorial which said that in a questionnaire by the Vote Smart organization he had indicated no support for such laws.

The Vote Smart questionnaire, available online at votesmart.org, asked: “Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding guns.”

The choices included “Allow individuals to carry concealed guns,” “Ban the sale, ownership or possession of handguns except by law enforcement and other government officials,” “Enforcement of existing restrictions on the purchase and possession of guns,” “Restrictions on the purchase and possession of guns,” and “Other or expanded principles.”

Merkley did not check any of the choices.

He said Tuesday he had not checked the concealed-carry answer because he was concerned about keeping handguns out of the hands of the mentally ill.

Merkley is running against Republican Sen. Gordon Smith, who filled out the same Vote Smart form and checked that he supported the principle of allowing individuals to carry concealed guns.

Under Oregon law, citizens aged 21 or older can get a license to carry concealed firearms if they have never been convicted of a felony, not been convicted of a misdemeanor in four years, are not subject to a restraining order and not mentally ill, and if they can demonstrate proficiency in handling a weapon safely, among other requirements.

On another point regarding the Vote Smart form, Merkley said he supported federal testing of school children.

One Vote Smart question he did not check said “Support federal education standards and testing requirements for K-12 students (No Child Left Behind.)” Merkley said Tuesday he did not check it because he doesn’t support No Child Left Behind.

Merkley, of Portland, has been speaker of the Oregon House since 2007.