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Saturday, May 31, 2008
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Here's a background piece on U.S. Representative Mark Udall from Fort Collins Now. They write:
U.S. Rep. Mark Udall, 57, is a member of one of the country's most prominent political families. But maybe more importantly, he's a man of the West. And that will figure greatly in his campaign to replace retiring Sen. Wayne Allard, R-Loveland, this fall. Udall is at the crossroads of Democratic changes in the region, which boasts five Democratic governors, potential presidential battleground states and which will play host to the party's national convention later this summer. Calling himself a "pragmatic Western Democrat," Udall said he believes he's ready to work across the aisle in the stuffier environs of the Senate. His self-definition could be seen as a departure from his liberal record, which detractors say will hinder him in his effort to beat former U.S. Rep. Bob Schaffer, R-Fort Collins, for the Senate seat. "People in this part of the world are pragmatic, they want to see results. They want people to work together. Without casting aspersions on the Republican Party here and in the West, I think there were some shortfalls particularly with some of the focus on social issues," Udall said. "And I think at some point here in the last couple election cycles the people of Colorado said, 'We've been having those fights for a while, how about we go back to ... live and let live,'" he said.
Democrats have been there, he said, as people have sharpened their focus on higher education, transportation and especially harvesting energy from the wind and the sun. "I think that's really resonated with people in Colorado," he said. "These landscapes that we are so fortunate to inhabit are so unique. They are not just important for our economic opportunities, but they are part of who we are. Hunters, fishers, outdoorsmen, economic development promoters, the ski industry[sigma] they all realize we have to do more to protect our open lands and clean air and clean water. Democrats have stood tall on that for a long time, and I am associated with that. People have turned to us to protect our way of life."
He noted that the states up and down the Continental Divide all have Democratic governors now. "I think that's because people in the West vote for the person, they vote for the way in which you work with others, they vote for people who produce results," he said.
Category: Denver November 2008 Election
9:17:42 AM 
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© Copyright 2008 John Orr.
Last update: 6/1/08; 10:42:42 AM.
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