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Udall shrugs off 'Boulder liberal'

Label failed to short-circuit congressman's impressive run for U.S. Senate

By Lynn Bartels, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)

Published November 5, 2008 at 1:15 a.m.

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Mark Udall shakes hands after giving his acceptance speech at the Colorado Democrats election party at the Sheraton Hotel in Denver.

Photo by Ellen Jaskol / The Rocky

Mark Udall shakes hands after giving his acceptance speech at the Colorado Democrats election party at the Sheraton Hotel in Denver.

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Four years ago on a snow- slicked road outside Silverton, U.S. Rep. Mark Udall stood in the aisle of a campaign bus and laughed at the idea he was too liberal to ever get elected statewide.

He's still laughing.

Udall managed to shake the "Boulder liberal" label to beat former Congressman Bob Schaffer in a race billed as one of the most competitive nationwide.

"I tell you, I am ready to lead. You are ready to lead. America is ready to lead," Udall told an ecstatic crowd at the Democratic Party celebration in downtown Denver.

In the end, the contest wasn't even close. Schaffer lost the critical Jefferson and Arapahoe swing counties, and his own county, Larimer, which had propelled him to three terms in Congress.

It went down as the most expensive Senate race in Colorado history. Outside groups spent more than $26 million, mostly on TV ads attacking Udall's or Schaffer's records.

That bothered voters like Bernard Foley, 93, of Northglenn, who voted for Udall.

"If half of the stuff they put on the TV, if just half of it is true, neither one of them should be in office," he said.

Udall said that he will reach across the aisle to get the best ideas, whether they are Republican or Democratic ideas.

"It's just soaking in," Udall said minutes after the Rocky Mountain News declared him the winner. "I am truly honored. I have a lot of work to do."

Udall's victory - and that of his cousin Tom Udall in New Mexico's Senate race - signals the passing of the torch to a new generation of Udalls.

And it validates Republicans' fears in 1996 when Udall was first running for the state legislature that with his family name and Western roots, he'd be dangerous in years to come.

"My family has been following his family's involvement in politics for years," said Alan Grimes of Denver, a 23-year-old graduate student who voted for Udall.

This was Udall's second but only serious attempt at becoming a U.S. senator.

The congressman from Eldorado Springs entered the 2004 race, but dropped out less than 24 hours later when Attorney General Ken Salazar announced he was seeking the Democratic nomination for the open seat.

Crushed, Udall nonetheless rallied on Salazar's behalf, joining him on his campaign bus tour through Colorado that October. It was on that trek that the "too liberal to win" comment tickled Udall, instead of ticking him off.

His easygoing manner stood out on the campaign trail. Dressed in a denim or Eddie Bauer shirt and Levis - waist 34, length 34 - he talked in his folksy manner about the importance of bipartisanship, and of his late mother, whose roots in Colorado go back several generations.

Schaffer dressed business-casual. He quoted economist Milton Friedman in his rapid fire, mile-a- minute delivery. Schaffer talked about freedom and liberty, how Congress got things done during his three terms there, and his mother, a Ukranian immigrant.

Schaffer's fans loved what they saw as an assertive and authoritative approach. But others were taken aback by what they saw as his overaggressiveness.

Harold Anderson, a Republican and Lone Tree city councilman, watched Udall and Schaffer in July at their first of 15 debates.

"The thing I did notice is that Udall kept stressing we've got to work together as a team, which I've said many times on the City Council," Anderson said. "Schaffer's referring to people as Boulder residents. I think that turned a lot of people off - I think it turned me off."

Udall's slow-to-boil nature served him well when he was hammered by attack ads, mostly from out-of-state conservative groups.

Udall spoofed the negative ads in his own TV commercial. "Quick. Lock your doors and hide. It's me, Mark Udall," he said in his spot.

And he poked fun of the ads on the campaign trail, saying one voter in Lakewood told him, "You don't look as ugly in person."

The final figures for how much was spent in the race won't be known until next month. As of Oct. 15, Udall had raised $10.1 million and Schaffer $6 million.

But the real story was the money spent by outside groups. Under federal tax law they can raise unlimited donations but can't coordinate with the candidates.

Pro-Udall groups spent at least $10.4 million, again a mix of mostly negative Schaffer spots but some simply backing their candidate. Schaffer, a former oil and gas executive, was attacked for his ties to the industry.

Groups supporting Schaffer spent around $15.8 million, mostly on ads. Some painted Schaffer in a positive light but most ripped Udall on taxes, earmarks and his one-time support for a Department of Peace.

Udall, who pushed for renewable energy in the state legislature back when it was merely a fad, branched out from the environment, becoming a member of the House Armed Services Committee. When he voted against invading Iraq, he outlined a long list of concerns based on voracious reading about the Middle East.

A testament to the Udall campaign's ground game came in August when some 300 people showed up at a Udall event in Republican-rich Highlands Ranch.

The turnout served as a reminder that politics is often about timing.

Voters in 2006, upset with ethics scandals, an unpopular war and even more unpopular president, rejected Republicans in droves.

This year, voters were even angrier and about everything - the economy, the budget deficit, gas prices, their imploding 401(k)s. They voted in record numbers, and many of them voted for Democrats.

Mark Udall, the "Boulder liberal," now has a new moniker: Colorado's newest U.S. senator.

Staff writer John Rebchook contributed to this report.

Comments

  • November 5, 2008

    2:30 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    TimeLord writes:

    Nice job, Wadhams. A fine leader for the Colorado Republican party who personally deserved every bit of the success they had tonight.

    I'm not a huge Boulder fan myself outside of Shakespeare and mountain parks, but that's a stupid campaign line that shows a lack of willingness to talk issues and a contempt for the electorate. Happily the electorate returned the contempt with interest.

  • November 5, 2008

    7:22 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    Ramm writes:

    Let 'r rip demos! You got enough power now to do whatever you want. I will just sit in my bitter bunker, clinging to my guns and religion and start checking off all the promises that are fulfilled. 2009 looks to be a great year for all of us!

  • November 5, 2008

    7:43 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    danirobi writes:

    730 days until 2010. So now that Obama is in office, can we start blaming him for everything like the Demcrats did with Bush?

  • November 5, 2008

    8:08 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    DougH writes:

    Have to laugh at all the cry babies showing up on here.
    George Bush lost the election for Republicans with his total mismanagement of the country for the last 8 years. Maybe it is time you all grew up and realize that it is a differant era now.

    Too bad you listen to the B.S. from the NRA about losing your guns and ammo, The NRA is just another Republican front organization that will make up any lie they can to get their people elected.

  • November 5, 2008

    8:08 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    ghoax writes:

    face it, this election is a clear indication that liberalism has achieved it's first necessary goal, confuse the masses, indoctrinate the youth...quite evident.

    It's time for the GOP to stop being sissy's and continue to work to save this country from the tyranny being proposed by the left.

    Unfortunately, I'm sure the dense will have to suffer some losses before it becomes clear that having fools at the helm is not a great idea.

  • November 5, 2008

    8:22 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    BroncoDan writes:

    GAWD, I just hope Windbag Bob will go away, now!!!

    ghoax...tell me about this tyranny! AND, we already know what happens with fools at the helm, just look at the last 8 years.

  • November 5, 2008

    8:48 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    MsValeriah writes:

    I'm proud to be a tree-hugging Boulder liberal! Contrary to the much stated belief that we're all a bunch of wackos, there are actually a lot of us that are sane and care about what happens to this country of ours, and willing to back up our talk by working for positive change. The ball's in our court now, people. Let's roll!

  • November 5, 2008

    9:03 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    Cowboy63 writes:

    Udall IS a Liberal, but... That's the way the wind is blowing for now.

    We'll see.

  • November 5, 2008

    9:27 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    chickenlittle1234 writes:

    Cowboy63 - I think you have to concede that labels such as liberal and conservative are relative to the electorate. When the country veered to the right, it went far enough that those who used to be considered moderates were suddenly near-socialists. Now that we're moving back to the center, hopefully, all of those divisive labels will be replaced with something more unifying. As you say, though, we'll see.

  • November 5, 2008

    9:55 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    MrWright writes:

    With a sigh of relief I as an American can now once again raise my head and be proud of what we represent instead of ashamed of what has been and could of been! Thanks to all those that voted to display your beliefs clearly!!! Happy happy joy joy!!

  • November 5, 2008

    12:27 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    scapulon writes:

    Those "Boulder Liberal Mark Udall" ads were a riot. "Left, left, left..."

    - always good for a chuckle