Joshua Micah Marshall over at Talking Points Memo has been keeping track of the so-called "Conscience Caucus," the group of Republicans in opposition to the privatization of Social Security. Josh writes today that there might be a new member in this group: Oregon's own "moderate" Republican Gordon Smith.

From today's CQ ...

A second moderate Republican on the Finance Committee, Gordon H. Smith of Oregon, would not commit to supporting Bush’s plan, and added that the administration has not marketed it well.
...

"I’m philosophically open to [Bush’s plan]; I’m not signed up to it,” Smith said.

Both Snowe and Smith said they like the idea of “add-on” Social Security personal accounts funded from a source other than Social Security’s payroll tax revenue.

...

"A lot of us expressed that the White House started the debate, but the media and the other side are finishing the debate,” Smith said. “He needs to go back on offense.”

Sen. Smith: If you can protect me, you have my vote. Otherwise, I'm in the Caucus. I may even get a TPM T-Shirt out of it.

When I called the Smith office this morning regarding his position on Social Security, the answer I received was somewhat ambiguous. Nevertheless, the quotes provided in the CQ piece give me hope that Smith isn't on board for privatization/