Mapes: Neville Invited To Televised Senate Debate

Oregonian political reporter Jeff Mapes says that Senate candidate Candy Neville of Eugene will get to stand to-to-toe with primary opponents Steve Novick and Jeff Merkley during the KGW/Oregonian debate April 15.

From Mapes' blog:

On Monday, Candy Neville turned 58 and got the good news that she's polling as strongly in the race for the Democratic nomination as the man who has been seen as the Democratic establishment's favorite: House Speaker Jeff Merkley.

Her celebration continued on Tuesday when she found out that The Oregonian and KGW TV have decided to include her in a televised debate - probably the most important of the campaign - to be held on April 15. Merkley and Portland lawyer Steve Novick, who led in a poll conducted by Survey USA, will also participate in the debate.

"It brings me clearly out of the term 'other' and makes me Candy Neville," said Neville from her Eugene home. "I'm really not a fringe candidate. I'm a factor."

To prepare herself for Merkley's, uh, devastating attacks, Neville may want to familiarize herself with this fellow: