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Colorado's freshman legislators take their seats in Congress

By M.E. Sprengelmeyer, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)

Published January 6, 2009 at 10:50 a.m.
Updated January 6, 2009 at 3:59 p.m.

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Newly-elected Colorado Senator Mark Udall smiles as his wife, Maggie Fox, pins his Senate pin on his lapel after being sworn into office at the Capitol in Washington DC, on Tuesday, Jan. 6, 2008.

Chris Schneider © The Rocky

Newly-elected Colorado Senator Mark Udall smiles as his wife, Maggie Fox, pins his Senate pin on his lapel after being sworn into office at the Capitol in Washington DC, on Tuesday, Jan. 6, 2008.

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WASHINGTON — A reception today for Colorado Democratic Sen. Mark Udall included an old friend: Sen. John McCain.

McCain, the Republican Party's presidential candidate in 2008, knew Mark Udall's father, Morris K. Udall of Arizona, when he was a congressman in that state.

"He reminds me so much of his father and he's a great environmentalist and a decent and kind person," McCain said of Udall.

With plenty of pomp and some circumspection, Colorado's congressional delegation started its dramatic facelift today as one new U.S. senator was sworn into office, another literally waited in the wings, and three new U.S. House members settled in to their first days on the job.

Out is Republican Sen. Wayne Allard. In comes Udall, shifting over from the House of Representatives.

Also out are Republican Reps. Tom Tancredo and Marilyn Musgrave. In comes Republican Mike Coffman and two Democrats, Betsy Markey and Jared Polis, who is replacing the promoted Udall.

Meanwhile, Denver Schools Superintendent Michael Bennet is on Capitol Hill to witness the pomp and circumstance, all in anticipation of his own expected appointment to take Sen. Ken Salazar's seat after Salazar is confirmed as Interior Secretary in President-elect Barack Obama's cabinet.

Today's schedule included a whirlwind of receptions and ceremonies as the newly elected members continue moving into their new Capitol Hill offices.

On the Senate side, newcomers are placed in cramped, temporary digs until their more elaborate office suites are prepared. So for now, Udall, who was escorted to his swearing in by Salazar, has set up shop in a windowless, basement space around the corner from the Senate stationery shop.

On the House side, Polis drew a low lottery number and got one of the dreaded, fifth-floor offices at the Cannon House Office Building – one of the most remote locations in the congressional complex, where not all the elevators go to the top floor.

Coffman and Markey are in the more convenient Longworth House Office Building, just like the people they're replacing, Tancredo and Musgrave.

Coffman said there was plenty to do.

"I think there's a level of excitement to being a member of Congress," Coffman said Tuesday. "At the same time, there's a concern about hitting the ground running as much as possible given the challenges the country is facing."

Today's action was mostly ceremonial, but members of Congress are expected to hit the ground running in coming days with their first committee hearings and then some heavy lifting on an economic recovery package.

Polis will take a seat on the Education and Labor Committee, while Markey gets to work on the Transportation Committee – a key position at a time when congress is considering a massive stimulus package, including new spending on roads and other infrastructure.

Udall, a member of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, will take part in Salazar's confirmation hearings Jan. 15.

Comments

  • January 6, 2009

    11:45 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    INC writes:

    Poor, Polis... low lottery number placed him in republican land...

    "where not all the elevators go to the top floor."

    LOL HAHAHA that's a total Knee slapper there!!!! I can't stop laughing...

    Thank you Rocky.

  • January 6, 2009

    12:17 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    skleepit writes:

    What a bunch of crap.

  • January 6, 2009

    12:57 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    HopiMedicineMan writes:

    Coffman hasn't changed jobs yet. So far, so good.

  • January 6, 2009

    2:03 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    Willy writes:

    They didn't get the memo. Dress code was cowboy hats and boots.

  • January 6, 2009

    3:23 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    ifyem writes:

    Udall looks like a freak in that picture!!

  • January 6, 2009

    3:25 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    joggle writes:

    That's quite a step down from Udall's former office, which was very conveniently located and rather large (on the first floor no less). I stopped by there to get a gallery pass to the capitol a while back.

  • January 6, 2009

    3:42 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    EP writes:

    Udall looks like he's going to eat whomever he's 'smiling' at. I'm giggling.

  • January 6, 2009

    4:19 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    Diff writes:

    I think he is just thrilled with the moment - It has to a big one!

    Now Senator Udall - go to work !Get some help for the hurting middle class, and those struggling with their mortgage and.. hold all those banks that were rescued to some standard that gets the $350 Billion out and into the economy - before we end up with a full blown depression!

  • January 6, 2009

    4:47 p.m.

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    mytwosense writes:

    Congratulations, Senator Udall! You definitely deserved it (thank God it's not Sweatshop Bob Schaffer heading to Washington) and I expect you to work for the people, just like you did, most of the time, in the House.

  • January 6, 2009

    5:04 p.m.

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    HopiMedicineMan writes:

    mytwosense
    Bob Schaffer has a serious caffeine addiction problem.

  • January 6, 2009

    5:14 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    Darwin writes:

    Udall with that ___ grin looks like the boy who just got a free pass to the candy jar. Oh, I guess he did.

  • January 6, 2009

    6:15 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    LOUIE writes:

    They call that the "$#it eatin' grin"; it looks foolish as Hell like a man caught eating $#it, and feeling foolish about being caught! At least that's what my Irish mother used to called it. She used to always tell us to "wipe that $#it eatting grin off your face before I..." when she knew my step-brother and I were up to something no good. True story censors, got to respect a mother's wisdom around here once in awhile!

  • January 6, 2009

    8:40 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    SheikYurBooty writes:

    Were they able to pry Musgrave's seat from her cold "politically dead" hands?

  • January 6, 2009

    9:37 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    becket writes:

    Which one of those women is his wife?