The file

Jeff Merkley

Democratic · U.S. Senator, Oregon · Oregon · Spectrum score -60

Senate ·

Jeff Merkley is U.S. Senator, Oregon in Oregon. Political positions and ideology score -60 (Far left). Merkley is the senator cable forgot.

College: Stanford University, B.A. 1979 · Princeton School of Public and International Affairs, M.P.A. 1982
Spouse: Mary Sorteberg
Children: Two
Résumé: U.S. Senator · Oregon · 2009–
Speaker · Oregon House of Representatives · 2007–2009
Executive director · Habitat for Humanity Portland · 1991–1994

Net worth: $2.2M
Salary: $174,000
Before office: $400K
2026 raised: $4.8M
Years in office: 17

Where Jeff stands on the spectrum

Jeff Merkley scores -60 on Spectrum’s left–right line (far left), left of center on the economy and progressive on social issues. The number is modeled from twelve issue positions and the public record — not a poll and not a party label.

Composite -60 · Far left · economic -78 · social -68 · authoritarian -36

Confidence 94. How we calculate scores →

Background & record

Merkley is the senator cable forgot. The file is a consistent left vote with a Portland donor base and a timber state that does not always match. Boring is a choice.

Finances

Modeled midpoints from public disclosures — not an audit of any household.

Net worth

$2.2M

+450% since taking office

Senate disclosure midpoint, 2024

Before office$400K

Now$2.2M

Oregon House to Senate. Progressive, not rich. Environmental and union money.

Money in · 2026 cycle

Raised: $4.8M
Cash on hand: $2.0M

Top industries

Unions
Environmental PACs
Lawyers

Stock holdings

Index / retirement funds

Oregon progressive. Funds.

Disclosure midpoint, 2024–25 · STOCK Act ranges, not an audit

VTI
Vanguard Total Stock Market
Joint
$50K–$250K
VXUS
Vanguard Total International
Joint
$15K–$75K

Ticker	Name	Owner	Range
VTI	Vanguard Total Stock Market	Joint	$50K–$250K
VXUS	Vanguard Total International	Joint	$15K–$75K

Sum of ranges $65K–$325K · midpoint $195K

X sentiment

Last 7 days

Odds

Polymarket · Kalshi

Implied probability from open contracts. Real money, not a poll. Updates while you sit here.

Live wire

Live · checked just now

New articles land here as they publish. Checking about every 12 seconds.

Conflicts

Timber-and-tech Oregon vs a national left donor list.
Quiet member, loud PAC emails on the environment.

Issue detail

−100 left pole · +100 right pole

Economic: -78
Social: -68
Authoritarian: -36
Confidence: 94

Taxes & spending-76
Higher taxes on high earners, larger public budget
Health care-82
Public or single-payer coverage as a right
Climate & energy-80
Aggressive climate rules and fossil-fuel phase-down
Business regulation-74
Stronger antitrust, labor, and consumer rules
Labor & wages-78
Unions, higher minimum wage, worker power
Immigration-70
A broader legal path, less interior enforcement
Abortion-86
Legal access, opposed to bans
Guns-76
Licensing, assault-weapon limits, red-flag laws
Crime & policing-60
Reform, diversion, less incarceration
Schools & speech-72
Public-school investment, DEI frameworks
Defense & alliances-40
Diplomacy-first, smaller overseas footprint
Civil liberties-42
Privacy, speech, limits on surveillance and bans

Legislative first dimension (NOMINATE-like): -0.47

Compass

Auth · leftAuth · rightLib · leftLib · rightAuthoritarianLibertarianEconomic leftEconomic right

Sources

DW-NOMINATE
Wealth and fundraising are modeled midpoints from public disclosures — not an audit.
College, family, and résumé are public-record facts, not a campaign bio.