DENVER—Drivers blame the oil companies.
Two Senate candidates are blaming each other.
Republican Bob Schaffer (SHAY’-fur) and Democrat Mark Udall have traded jabs over the nation’s gas crisis, accusing each other of being responsible for soaring gas prices.
Udall called a news conference yesterday to tell voters high gasoline prices aren’t going away and drivers need to be more fuel efficient. A spokesman for Schaffer said the nation needs to find more oil.
Democratic activists have branded Schaffer “Big Oil Bob” and they’ve set up a Web site depicting him riding an oil rig. Schaffer’s spokesman, Dick Wadhams (WAHD’-ums), says Udall and his environmental supporters are driving up the price of gas by opposing oil exploration that could increase supplies and lower the cost of gas.
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Udall campaign spokeswoman Tara (TAHR’-uh) Trujillo says Schaffer took close to $400,000 a year from the oil and gas industry while Udall was working to lower gas prices.
Wadhams says the energy industry employs hundreds of thousands of people in Colorado, and Schaffer is proud of his work.
Schaffer worked for the energy company Aspect Management Corporation for five years after retiring from Congress in 2002.
