Rep. Mark Udall has worked hard to strengthen public education and protect the environment.
He’s authored a creative and bipartisan plan to control federal spending, putting himself in a strange-bedfellows relationship with President Bush. He’s done some strong thinking on military doctrine and income entitlements.
By any standard, that’s an ambitious agenda, and we think Udall deserves re-election to a fifth term from Colorado’s 2nd Congressional District.
During the 109th Congress, the Eldorado Springs Democrat showed he is attentive to Colorado’s needs as well as the nation’s.
He secured more than $19 million in funding for Colorado companies and universities to conduct research and development of systems critical to national defense. StorageTek, the Colorado School of Mines and Barber Nichols of Arvada were among the funding recipients.
Udall is the “greenest” member of the state’s congressional delegation and is pushing for cleanup of thousands of abandoned mines in Colorado that have fouled streams and ponds.
He has been a key figure in the drive to put Colorado out front on renewable-energy development. For seven years, he has led the effort to protect nearly a quarter of a million acres of Rocky Mountain National Park near Estes Park by designating it wilderness.
Throughout his tenure in Washington, Udall has been a straight talker who appears not to take himself too seriously. He has refrained from political posturing and demonstrated time and again that he isn’t afraid to cross party lines to do what’s best for the country and his district.
The 2nd congressional district comprises all or parts of Adams, Broomfield, Boulder, Clear Creek, Eagle, Gilpin, Grand, Jefferson, Summit and Weld counties.
Republican challenger Rich Mancuso is a political newcomer and American history teacher from Evergreen. He lacks Udall’s experience on federal issues and depth of knowledge of the district.
Libertarian candidate Norm Olsen and Green Party candidate J.A. Calhoun are also running.
Udall passed up a chance to run for governor this year in order to focus on congressional service. He says he plans to run for Wayne Allard’s Senate seat, so next month’s election could set the stage for an interesting 2008 ballot.
