ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.—Cousins and Congressmen Tom and Mark Udall have climbed mountains together in the Rocky Mountain West. Now the two Democrats can join forces in the U.S. Senate after both winning open seats.
Tom Udall’s win over Republican Rep. Steve Pearce sends two Democratic senators from New Mexico to Washington for the first time since 1973 and helped boost the U.S. Senate majority to at least 56 Democrats.
“The things we were saying I think resonated with people,” Udall told The Associated Press shortly after his victory was announced Tuesday.
They include ending the war in Iraq, expanding children’s health care, improving schools, passing an economic recovery package that will make a difference for working families, Udall said.
“I think in the Rocky Mountain West we’re seeing a resurgence (of Democrats) in the last 10 years, and it’s due to us being smart about the people we run and what they talk about,” he said.
Udall won with 61 percent of the vote, over Pearce’s 39 percent with 94 percent of precincts reporting. Mark Udall defeated Republican Bob Schaffer in Colorado.
Tom Udall replaces New Mexico’s longest-serving senator, Republican Pete Domenici, who announced his retirement after 36 years when he was diagnosed with an incurable brain disease.
Udall, 60, and his father, former Interior Secretary Stewart Udall, pumped fists in the air together to celebrate the family victory at a party.
Udall has said he will carry on a family legacy of conservation and public service. He also is the nephew of the late Arizona congressman, Morris “Mo” Udall, Mark Udall’s father.
Stewart Udall looked on proudly from a seat on the podium as his son gave an acceptance speech to a rowdy crowd of 1,000 people at an Albuquerque hotel.
“My father has always told me to do the right thing,” Udall said, echoing his campaign slogan. “He’s been an incredible model of public service and he’s told me public service is a noble cause.”
Udall also acknowledged Domenici’s support of the state’s national laboratories and his leadership on budget matters in the Senate.
“He’s been a national leader, no question, and the Senate is going to miss Sen. Domenici,” Udall said.
Domenici had formally endorsed Pearce in August, but only after backing his GOP rival, Rep. Heather Wilson, in a last-ditch effort to help her win with an endorsement issued days before the June primary.
Of his rival, Pearce, Udall said: “I appreciated him focusing on the issues rather than making personal attacks. We differ on issues, but I think we both love New Mexico.”
Pearce spoke as a subdued crowd at the state Republican Party gathering was leaving and the tables were being cleared.
Pearce said: “Udall is decent and good. He is a person that will represent New Mexico well.”
Pearce later told The Associated Press: “I’m disappointed. We wished things would have been different. I knew that going in a year ago, saw that going into the polls he outspent us.”
Pearce, 60, who served in southern New Mexico, blamed the economic crisis on his lack of support.
Udall was successful at linking Pearce to the unpopular policies of the Bush administration, saying the he voted in support of the president 91 percent of the time.
Udall joins Democrat Jeff Bingaman in the Senate. The last time two Democrats served as the state’s senators was when former Sen. Joseph Montoya entered office in 1964, joining former Sen. Clinton P. Anderson, who served until Domenici took office in 1973.
According to preliminary results from exit polls conducted for The Associated Press, Udall enjoyed strong support across the political and demographic spectrum with majorities of women and men, independents and moderates favoring him. Among Hispanics, about seven in 10 voters backed him.
That polling showed that geographically, a majority of voters in the Albuquerque area and in the northern half of the state that Udall served for a decade in Congress voted for him. He also was the state’s attorney general from 1991-1998.
