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Mark Udall

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Mark Udall
United States Senator
from Colorado
Incumbent
Assumed office
January 3, 2009
Serving with Michael Bennet
Preceded byWayne Allard
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Colorado's 2nd district
In office
January 3, 1999 – January 3, 2009
Preceded byDavid Skaggs
Succeeded byJared Polis
Member of the Colorado House of Representatives
from the 13th district
In office
1996–1998
Preceded byPeggy Lamm
Succeeded byTom Plant[1]
Personal details
Born
Mark Emery Udall

(1950-07-18) July 18, 1950 (age 74)
Tucson, Arizona, U.S.
Political partyDemocratic
SpouseMaggie L. Fox
Residence(s)Eldorado Springs, Colorado, U.S.
Alma materWilliams College (B. A.)
OccupationOutward Bound instructor
Signature
Websitewww.markudall.com

Mark Emery Udall (born July 18, 1950) is the senior United States Senator from Colorado and a member of the Democratic Party. From 1999 to 2009, Udall served in the United States House of Representatives, representing Colorado's 2nd congressional district. He also previously served in the Colorado House of Representatives. Born in Tucson, Arizona, he is the son of former U. S. Representative Morris K. Udall. The Udall family is one of America's more prolific political families.

Early life, education, and career

Mark Udall was born in Tucson, Arizona to Patricia J. (née Emery) and the late Morris K. Udall, a former congressman from Arizona and candidate for the 1976 Democratic presidential nomination. He is a first cousin of Senator Tom Udall of New Mexico; a second cousin of Utah Senator Mike Lee;[3] and a double second cousin of former Senator Gordon Smith of Oregon. He is a nephew of former Interior Secretary Stewart Udall.[4]

Mark Udall graduated in 1968 from Canyon del Oro High School. He later graduated from Williams College in 1972 and moved to Colorado. He was a field coordinator for Morris Udall’s presidential campaign. He worked at the Colorado Outward Bound School for 20 years, including ten years as the school's executive director. In 1972, Udall was arrested for misdemeanor marijuana possession. He served a night in jail and paid a $300 fine.[5] In 1996, Mark Udall was elected to the Colorado House of Representatives, vacated by incumbent Peggy Lamm.[6]

U.S. House of Representatives

Congressman Udall

Elections

After only one term in the Colorado House of Representatives, in 1998 Udall won the Democratic nomination for Colorado's 2nd congressional district, after 12-year incumbent David Skaggs retired. The race was unexpectedly close, with Udall narrowly defeating Republican Boulder, Colorado Mayor, Bob Greenlee, winning 50%-48%. He won re-election four times without significant competition. [citation needed]

Committee assignments

Caucus membership
  • Congressional Fitness Caucus (Co-chair)
  • Democratic Freshman Class (Vice President)
  • Democratic Homeland Security Task Force
  • Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Caucus (Co-chair)[8][9]

U.S. Senate

Elections

2008

Main article: United States Senate election in Colorado, 2008

On January 15, 2007, incumbent Senator Wayne Allard announced he would not run for a third term. Udall became the Democratic nominee for the race after running unopposed in the primary.[10] In the general election, Udall faced former U.S. Representative Republican Bob Schaffer in what was considered one of the most competitive races in the country.

By August 28, 2008, over $10 million had been spent on attack ads against Udall by political parties and political action committees, an amount higher than in any other U.S. Senate race.[11] Udall and Schaffer appeared on Meet the Press's Senate Debate series on September 28, discussing the proposed bailout of the U.S. financial system.[12]

On election day, Udall defeated Schaffer, winning 53% of the vote.[13]

Mark Udall campaigning in Denver in June, 2008.

Udall's first cousin, U.S. Representative Tom Udall, ran for and won the U.S. Senate seat in New Mexico left open by the retirement of Pete Domenici. Including their double second cousin, Senator Gordon Smith; there were three Udalls running in Senate elections in 2008. Smith in Oregon was narrowly defeated in his bid for a third term.[14][15]

2014

Main article: United States Senate election in Colorado, 2014

Udall is running for re-election to the U.S. Senate in the 2014 election. Udall will face Republican Cory Gardner in the general election.

In February 2014, Udall's campaign received a lien from the state of Colorado for failure to pay unemployment insurance.[16]

In January 2014, following The State Of The Union Address, Udall would not say whether he would campaign with president Obama in the 2014 election after being asked repeatedly during an interview on CNN.[17] In July 2014, President Obama headlined a fundraiser for Udall's campaign.[18] The morning of the fundraiser Udall announced that he would not be able to attend the event with the president because of duties in Washington.[19]

Committee assignments

Caucus memberships
  • Congressional Fitness Caucus
  • International Conservation Caucus
  • Parkinson’s Disease Caucus (Co-chair)
  • Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Caucus (Co-Chair)
  • Sportsmen's Caucus

Political positions

Obamacare

In December 2009, Udall voted for the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (commonly called Obamacare or the Affordable Care Act).[20][21]

In November 2013, Udall was critical of the Colorado Division of Insurance concerning the Division's estimates of the number of Colorado residents whose medical insurance was cancelled in response to the requirements of the Affordable Care Act.[22][23] Udall's office wanted the Division to lower the number from 250,000 because it believed the majority of individuals counted had received renewal options. The Division refused to change the numbers. Administrators at the Colorado Division of Insurance said they felt pressured by members of Udall's staff to change their estimates of policy cancellations.[24]

A panel which investigated the matter concluded Udall's office behaved appropriately. The investigation was criticized because the chair was appointed by Democratic governor John Hickenlooper; all other members of the panel were selected by the chair. The chair initially refused to name the other members of the panel, and no written records were created during its investigation.[23]

News outlets have referred to the pressure that Udall put on the CDI, and the email's from his office as "bullying" and have speculated that it may have put his reelection in jeopardy [25][26][27][28][29]

Gun rights

On April 17, 2013, Udall voted to expand background checks for gun purchases.[30][31]

Energy

Udall opposes the Keystone XL pipeline and has voted against it repeatedly.[32]

In July 2014, he came out against two ballot measures that seek to limit hydraulic fracturing, saying that Colorado must find "the right balance between protecting our clean air and water, the health of our communities, and safely developing our abundant energy resources."[33]

Surveillance

Udall said he has "no problem" with PRISM, a clandestine mass electronic surveillance data mining program launched in 2007 by the National Security Agency (NSA).[34]

Mark Udall said he has opposed the Patriot Act since it was first initiated.[35]

In November 2011, Udall introduced an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2012 that would forbid indefinite detention of United States citizens; the amendment was rejected by the Senate.[36][37]

In July 2014, Udall joined with Senator Ron Wyden in releasing a statement opposing the Cybersecurity Information Sharing Act, a revived version of the controversial CISPA bill.[38][39]

Unions

He voted for the Employee Free Choice Act in 2007, which would have eliminated the secret ballot in voting to unionize businesses.[40]

Parks

In 2009, Udall sponsored a bill to address problems caused by the pine beetle infestation in Colorado's forestlands.[41]

In 2000, Udall and Republican Senator Wayne Allard proposed transforming Rocky Flats, a former nuclear weapons production site, into a wildlife refuge, setting aside 6,400 acres (25 km²) after cleanup and closure. The Rocky Flats National Wildlife Refuge Act passed in 2001.[42]

In February 2014, Udall voted for the Federal Agriculture Reform and Risk Management Act of 2013, a $1 trillion bill that ended direct payments to farmers but expanded crop insurance by $7 billion over the next decade, and created new subsidies for rice and peanut growers that will kick in if or when prices drop, and cut food stamp subsidies for 1.7 million people in 15 states.[43][44]

Finance

In December 2010, Udall was one of seven Democrats to vote against a deal to extend the Bush tax cuts for two years as well as fund unemployment benefits for an additional 13 months.[45]

On February 13, 2009, Udall voted to pass the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (commonly referred to as The Stimulus or The Recovery Act).[46]

Personal life

Udall currently lives in Eldorado Springs with his wife, a prominent environmental attorney,[47] and two children. Udall is a mountaineer, and has climbed or attempted many peaks, including Mount Everest.[48][49]

Udall's 61-year-old brother, Randy Udall, went missing on June 26, 2013 after going on a solo hike in Wyoming's Wind River Range.[50] On July 3, 2013 a body, later identified as that of Randy Udall, was found approximately 80 miles southeast of Grand Teton National Park. A family statement said, "Randy left this earth doing what he loved most: hiking in his most favorite mountain range in the world. Randy's passing is a reminder to all of us to live every day to its fullest, just as he did."[51]

Electoral history

See also

References

  1. ^ pdf
  2. ^ Bartels, Lynn. "Pasts cross for Udall, Mitt", The Rocky Mountain News, December 26, 2007.
  3. ^ Lee Davidson (October 24, 2010). "Senate race: Mike Lee ready to ride Senate roller coaster". The Salt Lake Tribune. {{cite news}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help) [dead link]
  4. ^ "Meet the Udalls: Another Political Dynasty on The Ballot". NBC. 2014-07-22. Retrieved 11 August 2014.
  5. ^ Michael Riley (September 11, 2008). "Ad blows smoke a variety of ways". The Denver Post.
  6. ^ http://www.sos.state.co.us/pubs/elections/ElectionArchives/1996/General/1996StateRepresentativeResults.pdf [dead link]
  7. ^ http://www.markudall.senate.gov/?p=committee_assignments
  8. ^ Project Vote Smart - Senator Mark E. Udall profile, votesmart.org; accessed July 30, 2014.
  9. ^ US House of Representatives Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Caucus, ucsusa.org; accessed July 30, 2014. [dead link]
  10. ^ Hook, Carol (11-4-08). "Fact Sheet: Mark Udall Vs. Bob Schaffer for Colorado's U.S. Senate Seat". US News. Retrieved 11 August 2014. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  11. ^ Riley, Michael (September 24, 2008). "Attack ads fail to shift Udall's lead". Denver Post.
  12. ^ "Senate candidates debate the bailout", msnbc.msn.com, Meet the Press, September 28, 2008 (video)
  13. ^ Electoral Scoreboard, Daily Kos; accessed July 30, 2014.
  14. ^ "Local and National Election Results - Election Center 2008". CNN. Retrieved July 30, 2014.
  15. ^ Bartels, Lynn (2014-06-12). "President Obama coming to Denver for Sen. Mark Udall". Denver Post. Retrieved 8 August 2014.
  16. ^ Bartels, Lynn (March 20, 2014). "Sen. Mark Udall: A lien, an endorsement, and an emoji". Denver Post.
  17. ^ Stokols, Eli (January 28, 2014). "Udall can't say if he wants Obama to campaign with him". KDVR. Retrieved September 13, 2014.
  18. ^ Matthews, Mark (7-6-2014). "Obama fundraiser for Udall to attract cash, criticism". Denver Post. Retrieved 8 August 2014. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  19. ^ "Mark Udall skipping Obama fundraiser for his campaign". The Associated Press. September 12, 2014. Retrieved September 13, 2014.
  20. ^ "U.S. Senate Roll Call Votes 111th Congress – 1st Session". Legislation & Records. United States Senate. Retrieved 2013-10-02.
  21. ^ Lynn Bartels (July 7, 2013). "GOP challengers for Sen. Mark Udall's seat face big challenges". Denver Post.
  22. ^ "Colorado regulators fail to provide info on panel in Sen. Udall ACA flap", denverpost.com; accessed July 30, 2014.
  23. ^ a b "DORA official reverses course, names panelists in Udall ACA flap", denverpost.com; accessed July 30, 2014.
  24. ^ Sherry, Allison; Booth, Michael (January 9, 2014). "Colorado official felt pressure from Udall office on Obamacare tally". The Denver Post. Retrieved July 11, 2014.
  25. ^ http://foxnewsinsider.com/2014/01/11/colorado-senators-office-accused-bullying-over-obamacare-numbers
  26. ^ http://www.redstate.com/2014/01/08/mark-udall-obamacare-division-of-insurance-pressure/
  27. ^ http://www.denverpost.com/politics/ci_25127284/dont-let-mark-udalls-obamacare-scandal-slide
  28. ^ http://www.politico.com/story/2014/01/mark-udall-obamacare-cancellations-102034.html
  29. ^ http://www.denverpost.com/politics/ci_24888407/sen-udalls-adventure-obamacare
  30. ^ "U.S. Senate Roll Call Votes 113th Congress – 1st Session". Legislation & Records. United States Senate. Retrieved 2013-07-30.
  31. ^ Chuck Todd (April 18, 2013). "Why the gun measure went down to defeat". NBC News.
  32. ^ Lynn Bartels (June 12, 2014). "Mark Udall's position on Keystone back in limelight". Denver Post. Retrieved July 30, 2014.
  33. ^ "http://denver.cbslocal.com/2014/07/16/hickenlooper-no-special-session-on-fracking/". CBS Denver. September 6, 2014. Retrieved July 16, 2014. {{cite news}}: External link in |title= (help)
  34. ^ Sherry, Allison (2013-07-28). "Sen. Mark Udall urges Patriot Act reform on Face the Nation". Denver Post. Retrieved 11 August 2014.
  35. ^ Johnson, Glenn, "House Extends Patriot Act; N.M. Delegates Split on Bill," ABQ Journal, 22 July 2005: [1].
  36. ^ Khaki, Ategah. "Senate Rejects Amendment Banning Indefinite Detention", ACLU Blog of Rights, November 29, 2011; accessed July 30, 2014.
  37. ^ Savage, Charlie. "Senate Declines to Clarify Rights of American Qaeda Suspects Arrested in U.S.", The New York Times, December 1, 2001.
  38. ^ "Wyden, Udall Oppose Cybersecurity Bill Due to Lack of Privacy Protections". July 8, 2014.
  39. ^ Jason Koebler (July 9, 2014). "CISPA's Privacy-Killing Successor Just Cleared Its First Hurdle". Vice.
  40. ^ Al Eisele (April 11, 2009). "Mark Udall: High Noon in the Senate". Huffington Post. Retrieved October 23, 2013.
  41. ^ "Sen. Udall sponsors bill to attack pine beetles". Seattle Times. 2009-11-23. Retrieved June 5, 2014.
  42. ^ "Ex-FBI agent charges feds with radioactive coverup at Rocky Flats". Grist. 2005-01-22. Retrieved June 5, 2014.
  43. ^ Sherry, Allison (2-5-14). "Farm bill passes, will benefit Colorado farmers, counties". Denver Post. Retrieved 11 August 2014. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  44. ^ Nixon, Ron (2-4-14). "Senate Passes Long-Stalled Farm Bill, With Clear Winners and Losers". New York Times. Retrieved 11 August 2014. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  45. ^ "Mark Udall Votes 'No' On Tax Deal". Huffington Post. December 13, 2010. Retrieved July 30, 2014.
  46. ^ "Stimulus package nears OK in Senate". Denver Post. February 10, 2009. Retrieved October 23, 2013.
  47. ^ Hook, Carol (11-5-08). "10 Things You Didn't Know About Mark Udall". US News. Retrieved 11 August 2014. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  48. ^ "Congressman Mark Udall biodata at". House.gov. Archived from the original on January 1, 2009. Retrieved October 3, 2013.
  49. ^ Sen. Mark Udall Conquered Many Mountains Before Climbing Capitol Hill, rollcall.com; accessed July 30, 2014.
  50. ^ "Sen. Mark Udall's brother, James, missing after hiking in Wyoming". UPI. Retrieved July 2, 2013.
  51. ^ "Body of Colorado senator's brother found on Wyoming hiking route". USA Today. July 3, 2013.

Further reading

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Mark Udall.
U.S. House of Representatives
Preceded by Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Colorado's 2nd congressional district
1999–2009 		Succeeded by
U.S. Senate
Preceded by U.S. senator (Class 2) from Colorado
January 3, 2009 – present
Served alongside: Ken Salazar, Michael Bennet 		Incumbent
Party political offices
Preceded by Democratic Party nominee for United States Senator from Colorado (Class 2)
2008, 2014 		Current holder
U.S. order of precedence (ceremonial)
Preceded by United States Senators by seniority
55th 		Succeeded by

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