Category Archives: Mark Udall

Udall Promises “Bold and Productive Action” To Fight Sexual Assaults In The Military

3
  by: nancycronk Mon May 20, 2013 at 4:35 PM MDT

(Promoted by Colorado Pols)

Responding to growing reports of sexual abuse and harassment within the United States military, U.S. Senator Mark Udall announced today he will take a leading role by working on both sides of the aisle to address sexual violence in the armed services. He outlined his plan to find solutions, hold perpetrators accountable, and protect victims from retaliation.

His plans include co-sponsoring "a number of bills" on the issue, and pushing for a provision to the National Defense Authorization Act. One of the bills he intends to support is the Murray-Ayotte Sexual Assault bill, a bipartisan piece of legislation from Senators Patty Murray (D-WA) and Kelly Ayotte (R-NH), which will establish a special military counsel to provide legal advice and assistance requested by any military sexual assault victim. The law will require cases to be automatically referred to a general or admiral to ensure greater oversight. The bill will allow cases to be shifted outside of the chain of command if an appropriate investigation does not occur in a timely fashion.

(more…)


Full story: Udall Promises “Bold and Productive Action” To Fight Sexual Assaults In The Military

Good Luck With That, Ryan Call

14
  by: Colorado Pols Mon May 20, 2013 at 1:17 PM MDT
See you in 2016?

See you in 2016? Maybe?

As the Durango Herald reported over the weekend, Republicans in Colorado are still looking for that elusive candidate to challenge either Democratic Gov. John Hickenlooper or Sen. Mark Udall. We've discussed many times in this space that Colorado Republicans are basically paralyzed under the vice grip of the Tea Party and the far-right; the only way to win a statewide election in Colorado is to run as a moderate, but the GOP can't get a moderate out of a primary. Perhaps both a cause and effect of this problem has left Republicans with quite literally nobody to turn to for help.

In that context, it's hard not to feel sorry for Colorado Republican Party Chair Ryan Call, who can't do much anymore but just admit that the GOP has no bench. From the Durango Herald:

Republicans have whispered about a handful of possible candidates – including two prominent Four Corners politicians – but the party appears to be running into trouble fielding top-tier candidates for these races. Political scientists and strategists say this is just the latest edition of troubles that have dogged the party for the last 10 years…

…The Colorado Republican Party is down but not out, state chairman Call said.

“There’s no question that the bench, if you will, of candidates has suffered as a result of election losses in the past,” Call said. [Pols emphasis]

Call is correct, but it's more than that — even Republicans who have won recent elections (such as Rep. Cory Gardner) aren't really part of a bench that could succeed statewide. Republicans, and Call, know what they don't need.But they still have to square that with a Tea Party crowd doesn't agree about much of anything, even amongst themselves.

Colorado Pols readers have heard this all before, of course, but it's pretty incredible to see the State Party Chair basically admit that Republicans have no bench. The truth shall set you free, or something.


Full story: Good Luck With That, Ryan Call

Senators Bennet and Udall: Make Farm Bill History

9
  by: MichaelBowman Sat May 18, 2013 at 7:11 PM MDT

"Why use up the forests which were centuries in the making and the mines which required ages to lay down, if we can get the equivalent of forest and mineral products in the annual growth of the hemp fields?"

~Henry Ford

 

The United States Senate will have the opportunity to make history this week while debating the 2013 Farm Bill: a full debate on the re-legalization of industrial hemp via an expected floor amendment.  The crop of our forefathers.  A crop deemed so critical to our nation's future that farmers in Colonial America were under a mandate to grow the crop.  The crop that made possible Ben Franklin's Colonial Free Press.  The crop that clothed our early military; protected our pioneering ancestors as they crossed our vast prairies -  and counted 16 million acres of production in the 1862 Census. The crop USDA deemed so critical to national defense the federal prohibition was lifted during WWII.

It was a tragic confluence of events that lead to the demise of hemp.  Prohibition was in its waning days, and the federal bureaucracy built around alcohol seizure no longer had a mission – a focus on narcotics would be the lifeline for the bureaucracy.  Our nation was on the cusp of launching an economy mobilized by Rockefeller's new-found 'black gold'; the synthetic clothing market and the advent of the agricultural chemical industry was in its infancy at DuPont.   And media titan Randolph Hearst,  the owner of significant forestry assets, had launched an all-out media war on Hispanic immigrants and marijuana.

Thus was borne the "Marihuana Tax  Act of 1937";  legislation devised by Henry Anslinger and his uncle, Andrew Mellon of Mellon Banks to tax the production of industrial hemp.  And with the new tax, the production of hemp became an uneconomical alternative to the newly developed energy, synthetic clothing and chemical industry derived from fossil resources controlled by titans DuPont and Rockefeller.  Mellon was the banker of both DuPont and Rockefeller.  It's not terribly hard to do the math.  The more things change, the more they stay the same.

And with the enacting of the Marihuana Act came the demise of Henry Ford's "Iron Mountain" project where he had developed a sedan made of industrial hemp composites that was powered by ethanol fermented from hemp.  He had also developed an entire line of hemp-based  lubricants and industrial products.  

Forward to 1970 and the birth of our nations failed 'War on Drugs'.  Marijuana is defined as a Schedule 1 narcotic, on par with cocaine and heroine by the DEA, despite the fact the Congressional intent stated emphatically: 

 

    "nothing in this Act is meant to prohibit the production of hemp for industrial purposes"

 

In 2012 Colorado voters passed a constitutional amendment, Amendment 64, which in addition to legalizing adult use of marijuana also legalized the cultivation of industrial hemp by Colorado farmers.  Touting wide bi-partisan support, the amendment garnered more votes than our President.  The Colorado legislature acted swiftly and by Sine Die 2013 had put in place a regulatory framework for hemp.  The legislation passed third reading in both chambers with a unanimous vote.

Thus, an industry was borne.  Now the conflict between Federal and State law must be resolved.  And from this growing conflict between state and federal law (18 states took various legislative action on industrial hemp this year) was borne the "2013 Industrial Hemp Farming Act", known in Congress as S. 359 and H.R. 525.  Both Chambers tout broad, bi-partisan support.  But this legislative journey remains unclear.  The Judiciary Committees were given jurisdiction in their respective chambers.  In both cases, no hearings have been scheduled.  It's even more unclear whether the bills will be heard at all this year, given they are in the queue behind Immigration Reform.

Is there a better, more efficient way to move this legislation on an issue that broad support from across the political spectrum?  Yes – a floor amendment during the full Farm Bill debate in the Senate this week.  And we need the pro-active leadership of our two Senators.

Industrial Hemp has the potential to add a new, vibrant  addition to our agricultural 'horn of plenty' in Colorado.  The crop requires few chemical inputs; its water requirements are minimal when compared to many traditional crops across the eastern plains and western slope.  Its ability to remediate soils has at the potential to heal salt-laden agricultural soils and mitigate heavy metal contamination from old mines and superfund sites.  The United States is the largest consumer market of hemp products in the world – a $400 million annual market demand met exclusively from imports.  American farmers remain the only agriculturalists in the industrialized world to be prohibited from its cultivation.  

And while giving Colorado farmers a crop alternative to help them meet their ever-growing water resource challenges, the crop also gives us significant environmental benefits:  its ability to extract enormous amounts of atmospheric carbon from the atmosphere.  Hemp extracts four times the CO2 annually per acre than does a standing forest.  Annual dry biomass yields per acre range from 2-3x the amount of biomass produced by either a corn or switchgrass crop;  ethanol-from-hemp reduces the greenhouse-gas-emissions by 86% when compared to transportation fuels from petroleum.

It is expected that Senator Mitch McConnell will introduce a floor amendment to the 2013 Farm Bill on Tuesday that would remove hemp as a Schedule I narcotic, legalizing its cultivation under federal law, and moving jurisdiction of the crop from DEA to USDA.

Despite recent demands on House members from the Heritage Foundation to not move on any legislation, (which also includes the Farm Bill) the action will be in the Senate on Tuesday.  A unique opportunity for our Senators to lead the fight for the passage of this amendment – and stand with the 55% of their fellow Coloradans who so wisely legalized the crop six months ago.  

Senators Bennet and Udall, please take a proactive role on this potentially historic event.  Farmers, conservationists, the environment, our natural resources and the state economy will be the benefactors of your leadership.  

 

 


Full story: Senators Bennet and Udall: Make Farm Bill History

The Big Line Updated

13
  by: Colorado Pols Fri May 17, 2013 at 12:03 PM MDT

With the 2013 legislative session behind us, we've updated The Big Line with our latest projections. Of note:

  • It looks more and more as though Republican Scott Gessler will run for Governor rather than Secretary of State (as we suggested last year), so we've moved his line "off" the board for SOS.
  • With Gessler off the board, the race for SOS is anybody's guess. Maybe Democrat Ken Gordon will arise from his five-month slumber, or perhaps there will even be a Joe Neguse sighting. Either way, the big news will be if Jefferson County Clerk & Recorder Pam Anderson decides to enter the race, as expected.
  • There aren't any real scenarios whereby Democratic Sen. Mark Udall does not get re-elected, so we've adjusted his odds accordingly.
  • We've changed CD-6 to make Democrat Andrew Romanoff a slight favorite over Republican Rep. Mike Coffman. Romanoff is off to a strong start, and the DCCC seems particularly enthused about a race Democrats probably should have won in 2012.


Full story: The Big Line Updated

Delving in to the immigration reform package

2
  by: nwdenvergirl Tue April 23, 2013 at 5:22 PM MDT

(Promoted by Colorado Pols)

In the midst of the craziness of the news of the last week, it’s little wonder that the largest reform to our nation’s immigration policies ended up taking a back burner in news coverage.  Lost in the shuffle were a few items worth of our consideration here in Colorado.

The bi-partisan bill from the Senate’s Gang of Eight includes both a fund for science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education and an increase of the H-1B visa cap. An increase in the cap was needed to help companies fill the thousands of vacancies in high-skilled jobs. The bill proposes increasing the cap from 65,000 per year to 110,000, and allowing the number of H-1B visas available to continue to expand up to a maximum of 180,000 to better track with demand. Given that all the H-1B visas were snatched up within the first few days of them becoming available this year, it is clear that this expansion is necessary.

It is also encouraging to see a national fund to provide a significant stream of money to all states, which would expand opportunities for more students to pursue STEM fields. The STEM education fund would be paid for with an increase in fees on green cards and wouldn’t present a new cost to the American taxpayer.  Our country faces an immediate and long-term crisis with the shortage of qualified workers in STEM fields as the number of available science, technology, engineering, and mathematics jobs far outpaces our ability to fill them.

While the increase in H-1B visas helps patch this significant current problem, providing a fund to encourage and retain students in STEM fields is needed to support the jobs of the future. As evidence: Over the last few years, Colorado employers requested on average 2,735 H-1B visas per year for foreign, temporary workers, 74% of which were requested to fill STEM jobs.

If anything, the designated STEM fund in the reform package should be even stronger. The U.S. ranked 41st out of 42 nations in innovation based capacity, according to the Information Technology & Innovation Foundation and 35 states are spending less on education than they were five years ago.

If we’re going to improve, there is also important work to be done in erasing disparities in STEM fields. African Americans and Latinos are 28 percent of the U.S. population, but only seven percent of the STEM workforce. Additionally, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, women will fill just 29 percent of the 1.4 million computing jobs expected to open through 2018.

Strengthening the nation’s STEM education pipeline as a part of immigration reform will also strengthen America’s economy and its ability to be an innovation leader well into the future.


Full story: Delving in to the immigration reform package

“Not a single one of the Republicans we tested has a positive statewide favorability rating.”

19
  by: Colorado Pols Thu April 18, 2013 at 3:01 PM MDT

Stunning numbers today from a new Public Policy Polling report show that Colorado Republicans would have a lot of digging to do just to get in a hole by 2014:

With no serious Republicans running for either of these offices yet we basically tested every major GOP figure in the state against both Hickenlooper and Udall: former Congressman Bob Beauprez, Congressman Cory Gardner, Secretary of State Scott Gessler, 2010 Senate candidate Jane Norton, State Treasurer Walker Stapleton, Attorney General John Suthers, former Congressman Tom Tancredo, and Congressman Scott Tipton.

Not a single one of the Republicans we tested has a positive statewide favorability rating. [Pols emphasis] The one who comes closest is Suthers, who still has a -6 favorability rating. In addition to being unliked the GOP bench is also largely unknown- the only one with higher than 52% name recognition is Tancredo.

Only one of the Republicans comes within single digits of Hickenlooper or Udall in any of the match ups. That's Beauprez who trails each of them by 7- 50/43 against Hickenlooper and 48/41 against Udall.

Hickenlooper leads everyone else we tested by either 10 or 11 points- 50/40 over Gessler, 49/39 over Suthers, 50/40 over Tipton, 51/40 over Gardner, 50/39 over Norton, 49/38 over Stapleton, and 52/41 over Tancredo.

Udall leads everyone else we tested by margins ranging from 10-13 points. It's 49/39 over Gardner, 49/38 over Norton, 50/38 over Suthers, 51/39 over Tancredo, and 50/37 over Gessler, Stapleton, and Tipton.

Holy crap is right. Even Rep. Cory Gardner, the GOP's de-facto "rising star," doesn't come within 10 points of either Gov. John Hickenlooper or Sen. Mark Udall. Forget not being in the same room–he's barely in the same state. This is so dismal we don't even know what to say.

Gov. John Hickenlooper's uptick in disapproval makes sense for a number of reasons: in addition to factors cited by PPP hurting him with Republicans and conservative-leaning independents like gun safety and civil unions, Hickenlooper faces growing discontent on his left from conservation-minded Democrats upset with his positions on oil and gas drilling. Even with all of that counting against him two and a half years into his term, there's absolutely nothing here to indicate Hickenlooper will be seriously threatened in 2014.

Likewise with Sen. Mark Udall, who handily bests any of the Republican challengers PPP matched him up with–beating Rep. Cory Gardner by ten points, twelve points over Attorney General John Suthers, and former Lt. Gov. Jane Norton, the GOP's 2010 primary loser by nine.

The fact that former Rep. "Both Ways" Bob Beauprez polls best of any of these prospective challengers underscores just how bleak a situation Republicans find themselves in today. 


Full story: “Not a single one of the Republicans we tested has a positive statewide favorability rating.”

Udall, Bennet Back Colorado Dems As Federal Gun Control Dies

23
  by: Colorado Pols Thu April 18, 2013 at 8:09 AM MDT

Joe Hanel and Stefanie Dazio of the Durango Herald report:

Sens. Michael Bennet and Mark Udall voted Wednesday in favor of a failed amendment that would have strengthened federal gun controls.

Both Colorado Democrats supported a bipartisan amendment that would have expanded background checks to gun shows and the Internet.

That amendment, one of seven that failed in the Senate on Wednesday night, was rejected 54-46. None of the seven amendments received the required 60 votes to pass.

“It’s a sad day for our nation when a minority of the U.S. Senate has blocked commonsense legislation that is supported by 90 percent of Americans,” Udall said in a statement. [Pols emphasis]

FOX 31's Eli Stokols:

Obama blamed the gun lobby that “willfully lied” about the amendment and members of his own party who “caved to the pressure” and voted against the amendment.

Five Democrats voted against the measure, most of them representing more conservative states and facing uncertain reelection prospects next year (Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nevada, voted no for procedural reasons only so that he can re-introduce the amendment should it magically garner additional support).

Four Republicans voted in favor of the proposal, which would have closed the so-called “gun show loophole”, something Colorado did a decade ago, and require background checks for all online gun sales.

In addition to their vote to expand background checks on firearm sales, Colorado Sens. Mark Udall and Michael Bennet also voted for the amendment to limit magazine capacity. These votes resolve what was a significant concern among local Democrats, the possibility that one or both U.S. Senators would essentially vote against the similar legislation passed in the Colorado General Assembly this year. It's politically very good for Colorado Democrats that everybody got through this debate more or less on the same page at all levels.

Sens. Udall and Bennet did vote against the amendment from Sen. Diane Feinstein to ban some 180+ specific models of so-called "assault weapons." There is some consternation about that among supporters, but in Colorado this year, no attempt was made to ban any specific model of firearm–and the closest to a bill regulating assault weapons was a liability measure that was pulled by its sponsor. In the near term, especially after yesterday's result, any kind of federal assault weapons ban campaign is likely to be at best a flanking effort in a campaign to get background check expansions passed. Of all the amendments debated yesterday, federal background check expansion is by far the most popular, and we do expect to see it again very soon.

Opposition to background check expansion at the federal level relied on many of the same absurd arguments we heard at the state level: that the bill would lead to a "gun registry," that it "bans private gun sales," and our favorite idiotic tautology, "criminals don't obey laws." Despite the polls that show support for closing background check loopholes of all descriptions at near-unanimous highs, 80% or more reliably, the gun lobby's legendary influence in Washington killed this legislation with many of the same tired falsehoods we've already refuted in Colorado.

Those who opposed the proposal argued that it would lead to a federal registry of all firearms, something Democrats and even Republican Sen. John McCain, who voted yes on the amendment, dismissed as a scare tactic.

It's another sad story of Washington gridlock, but Colorado Democrats can at least be a little proud.


Full story: Udall, Bennet Back Colorado Dems As Federal Gun Control Dies

Big Boost for Wind Energy in Colorado

8
  by: Colorado Pols Mon April 8, 2013 at 12:07 PM MDT
Made in Colorado.

Made in Colorado.

As Eli Stokols at Fox 31 reports, Vestas Wind has received a huge new turbine order:

Vestas Wind Systems has received its largest wind turbine order ever from Canada, the company announced Monday.

Colorado’s Vestas plants, which have seen major layoffs over the past year, will manufacture components for the 166 V100-1.8 wind turbines that have been ordered as part of the Blackspring Ridge Wind Project.

This is an important story because of the growing role that wind energy is playing in Colorado's economy. Senator Mark Udall issued a statement soon after the news was announced this morning:

Mark Udall, who championed the successful, bipartisan reauthorization of the Production Tax Credit for wind energy last year, welcomed news today that Colorado factories will manufacture wind turbines and components for the Blackspring Ridge Wind Project near Alberta, Canada.  This large order underscores the job-creating benefits of a strong wind-energy industry in Colorado and for our country.

"This large turbine order, evidence of the long-term benefits of Made-in-America manufacturing, underlines what I have been saying for years: Wind energy powers our economy," Udall said.  "It is clear evidence that investments in energy security are good for our economy and Colorado workers."

Coincidentally, new legislation sponsored by Senate President John Morse and House Speaker Mark Ferrandino is being heard today in committee. Senate Bill 252 aims to expand renewable energy in Colorado by directing rural cooperatives to increase their renewable energy standard from 10% to 25% by 2020.


Full story: Big Boost for Wind Energy in Colorado

Udall Raises $1.5 Million in Q1 2013

22
  by: Colorado Pols Mon April 1, 2013 at 11:14 AM MDT

FOX 31's Eli Stokols reports, no April Fool's jokes here:

Colorado Sen. Mark Udall raised $1.5 million in the first three months of 2013, his campaign announced Monday.

That brings Udall’s cash on hand for next year’s reelection bid to around $2.5 million.

In the last fundraising quarter, only five other incumbent senators facing reelection next year posted higher figures than Udall, a Democrat from Eldorado Springs seeking a second six-year term in Congress.

The Colorado Statesman's Ernest Luning Tweets helpfully:

ernestudalltwt

Needless to say, fundraising hauls like this won't encourage any challengers to surface.


Full story: Udall Raises .5 Million in Q1 2013

GOP’s “Growth and Opportunity Project” Poses Tough Questions For Colorado Republicans

54
  by: Colorado Pols Mon March 18, 2013 at 9:32 AM MDT

The struggle of the Republican Party to adapt, both here in Colorado and nationally, to changing demographics and viewpoints that threaten the party's long-term viability, is one of the most important themes we have documented in this space since our beginnings in 2004. Here in Colorado, Democrats have emerged generally victorious in five consecutive general election cycles, adding a new chapter to the political history of this historically conservative but untamably independent state. We believe, furthermore, that the last decade of Colorado politics has revealed systemic problems within the Republican Party, which threaten a replication of the long-term minority status they hold in this state in many other places across the country.

In 2012, we watched these intertwining and systemic problems cost Republicans the presidential election–while stopping the closest the GOP has had to a comeback in Colorado, 2010's one-seat margin recapture of the state House majority, in its tracks.

Today, as they seem to clearly understand nationally if not in Colorado, the Republican Party's greatest threat to its ongoing viability is itself. A report we were pointed to this weekend from the Republican National Committee detailing the results of their post-2012 "Growth and Opportunity Project," makes a host of observations and recommendations for improving the GOP's competitiveness in coming elections. Excerpt:

Republicans have lost the popular vote in five of the last six presidential elections. States in which our presidential candidates used to win, such as New Mexico, Colorado, Nevada, Iowa, Ohio, New Hampshire, Virginia, and Florida, are increasingly voting Democratic. We are losing in too many places. 

It has reached the point where in the past six presidential elections, four have gone to the Democratic nominee, at an average yield of 327 electoral votes to 211 for the Republican. During the preceding two decades, from 1968 to 1988, Republicans won five out of six elections, averaging 417 electoral votes to Democrats’ 113.1 

Public perception of the Party is at record lows. Young voters are increasingly rolling their eyes at what the Party represents, and many minorities wrongly think that Republicans do not like them or want them in the country. When someone rolls their eyes at us, they are not likely to open their ears to us. 

At the federal level, much of what Republicans are doing is not working beyond the core constituencies that make up the Party. On the state level, however, it is a different story…

The report goes on to describe both the troubles that national Republicans have had and continue to create for themselves with younger voters, women, Hispanics, and so many others outside the party's core conservative, white, and Christian base. Interestingly, the authors contrast these failures at the "federal level" with supposedly much more successful state-level Republican governance. On page nine, the report reads off a list of accomplishments by GOP governors like John Kasich in Ohio and Bobby Jindal in Louisiana. "Republicans," declares the authors, "are thriving on the state level." 

The Republican Party needs to stop talking to itself. We have become expert in how to provide ideological reinforcement to like-minded people, but devastatingly we have lost the ability to be persuasive with, or welcoming to, those who do not agree with us on every issue.

It is time for Republicans on the federal level to learn from successful Republicans on the state level. It is time to smartly change course, modernize the Party, and learn once again how to appeal to more people, including those who share some but not all of our conservative principles.

You've probably begun to realize something important here, haven't you? When forward-thinking Republicans say "it is time for Republicans on the federal level to learn from Republicans at the state level," they are not talking about Colorado Republicans. 

(more…)


Full story: GOP’s “Growth and Opportunity Project” Poses Tough Questions For Colorado Republicans

Post’s Singleton says GOP “dead” in CO, Udall will win big, next CO Attorney General will be Dem, and more!

77
  by: Jason Salzman Sat March 2, 2013 at 6:35 PM MDT

(Hmm – promoted by Colorado Pols)

I can see the veins bulging out on the necks of conservatives across Colorado when they hear that Denver Post publisher Dean Singleton thinks the Republican Party is "dead in Colorado" and that he doesn't expect to see another Republican president elected in the United States in his lifetime.

If that's not vein-popping enough, Singleton went on to say that Udall will win big in 2014, Colorado's next Attorney General will be a Democrat, and there's no one in the United States of America who won't take his phone call.

That's what Singleton told KHOW's Peter Boyles March 1 during the 6 a.m. hour:

Boyles: The Republican Party, for all intents and purposes, is dead.

Singleton: I think it's in trouble nationally. It's not in trouble locally. I mean, Republicans control 30 State Houses.

Boyles: But I'm talking about in Colorado.

Singleton: I think it's dead in Colorado.

Boyles: I think it's dead in the country.

Singleton: It's not dead–

Boyles: You think we'll ever have another Republican President in our lifetime?

Singleton: Ahh, no.

Boyles: I agree with you.

Singleton: And it really doesn't matter whom the Republicans put up. Republicans, in my view, won't win another presidency in our lifetime.

Listen to Dean Singleton tells Boyles GOP is dead in CO 3-1-2013

(more…)


Full story: Post’s Singleton says GOP “dead” in CO, Udall will win big, next CO Attorney General will be Dem, and more!

Why Can’t Republicans Find a 2014 Senate Candidate? (Part 1)

27
  by: Colorado Pols Thu February 28, 2013 at 3:26 PM MDT

There are 10 U.S. Senators who were first elected in 2008 and are running for re-election in 2014. Three of those incumbents are in states considered safe for their respective political party (Delaware and New Mexico for Democrats; Idaho for Republicans). Of the remaining seven seats, all but one have a likely or declared opponent and/or recent public polling indicating potential vulnerability.

All but Colorado and Senator Mark Udall.SenatorIndestructible

Colorado's political landscape has changed considerably in the past decade, and few people have had a better view of that landscape than Udall. It's easy to forget that Udall spent the bulk of five terms and nearly ten years in the House of Representatives as one of just two Democrats from Colorado (with Rep. Diana DeGette the other Democrat). When Udall began campaigning for the 2008 Senate seat, Colorado Republican Party Chairman Dick Wadhams was convinced that he needed to do little else but call Udall the "Boulder Liberal" in order for Republicans to maintain control of the seat vacated by the retiring Sen. Wayne Allard; Udall went on to defeat Republican Bob Schaffer by a 10-point margin.

As we approach the 2014 election, Udall is running for re-election in a political climate that probably would have seemed unfathomable when he was first elected to Congress in 1998. Democrats control both chambers of the state legislature, the Governor's mansion, and both U.S. Senate seats…and Republicans appear to have literally no idea who they can put forth to challenge Udall. There is no short list of potential candidates; there is no list at all.

This is a staggering fact when you consider recent history: The last time either political party had this much trouble finding a candidate for Senate or Governor was in 2002, when incumbent Gov. Bill Owens beat Democrat Rollie Heath by 32 points, the greatest margin of victory in the history of that office.

Ten years later, the GOP bench is so noexistent that Republicans aren't even trying to pretend otherwise, as the Denver Post laid bare last weekend. Allison Sherry's article about Republican efforts to find someone, anyone, to run for Senate can be summed up by one contradictory statement by the Chair of the Colorado Republican Party:

"I do think it's fair to say there is a growing sense of urgency to make sure we recruit a strong, credible candidate," said state GOP chairman Ryan Call. "There is no question he's vulnerable."

If there is "no question" that Udall is vulnerable, as Call would have you believe, then why is it so hard for the GOP to find a candidate of any shape or size, let alone someone both "strong" and/or "credible"? You don't need to answer that.

It should not be overlooked that Udall is a formidable candidate in his own right. He is perhaps the most well-known Democrat in Colorado. He has been able to craft an image as a moderate in the Senate, where he serves on the powerful Armed Services Committee and the Energy & Natural Resources committee, which is of particular significance for Colorado voters. And Udall has already built a sizable warchest for 2014 that should scare away all but the most determined of opponents. Yet Colorado has always had relatively strong Senate incumbents, and Udall isn't significantly more intimidating than others in recent memory (okay, except for Wayne Allard).

So why can't Republicans find a candidate for 2014? There are a few reasons — the first part of a series begins after the jump…

(more…)


Full story: Why Can’t Republicans Find a 2014 Senate Candidate? (Part 1)

Delegation Scores from LCV’s 2012 National Environmental Scorecard

0
  by: ConservationColorado Wed February 20, 2013 at 9:43 PM MDT

The League of Conservation Voters released their 2012 National Environmental Scorecard today [Wednesday].  The Colorado congressional delegation split as one might expect:

U.S. Senate: Senator Michael Bennet (D), 100 – Senator Mark Udall (D), 93

U.S. House: Rep. Diana DeGette (D), 97 - Rep. Jared Polis (D), 100 –  Rep. Scott Tipton (R), 11 – Rep. Cory Garnder (R), 11 - Rep. Doug Lamborn (R), 6 – Rep. Mike Coffman (R), 9 –  Rep. Ed Perlmutter (D), 83

The Scorecard reflects the U.S. Senate’s work in defending against the U.S. House of Representatives’ unprecedented assault on our nation’s environmental and public health safeguards during the second session of the 112th Congress, a time when extreme weather events fueled by climate change were becoming all too common across the country.

(more…)


Full story: Delegation Scores from LCV’s 2012 National Environmental Scorecard

Mark Udall Fundraises Off House’s VAWA Failures

6
  by: Colorado Pols Wed February 20, 2013 at 11:13 AM MDT

In an email this morning, Sen. Mark Udall updates supporters on the wait for the U.S. House of Representatives to take action on renewing the Violence Against Women Act passed by the Senate last week:

Hundreds of thousands of women are sexually assaulted every year in this country – nearly one every other minute. Failing to protect these women is inexcusable. After fighting for years, I’m proud to say that last week the U.S. Senate passed the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) with broad support from both political parties.

This important piece of legislation provides critical support for survivors of abuse, funds educational programs to help young victims, provides assistance to GLBT and other minorities, and strengthens efforts to combat human trafficking… all great strides forward.

Now, the fate of millions of women across the country rests with House Republicans who, during the last Congress, inexcusably let VAWA expire for the first time in 20 years.

Every day that goes by without VAWA puts more women in jeopardy.

Can you contribute $15 dollars to my campaign so we can stand strong and keep fighting for important legislation like VAWA?

For the latest on the state of VAWA in the Republican-controlled House, check out this elucidating story up today at Slate, "Rep. John Duncan Claims Violence Against Women Is Bad Because Women Are Weak."

Yeah, folks, we'd fundraise off that.


Full story: Mark Udall Fundraises Off House’s VAWA Failures