Udall is In

What a crazy day in Colorado politics. First Bill Owens announced he was out of the Senate race, now Mark Udall says he's in.

I know the naysayers think anybody from Boulder County is automatically anathema to the rest of the state, but I think that's silly. Give the voters a little credit. A lot of people like Boulder, root for the Buffs, went to school there even (or have friends who did). And if you want to attack somebody with a soundbite it has to be authentic. "Millionaire lawyer-lobbyist" worked on Tom Strickland because it had the ring of truth. They dropped the "Downtown Denver" part because that was stupid. The GOP will have to do a lot better than say he is from Boulder.

Besides, let's look at Udall's plusses. He's got a well recognized name; people who moved here from other parts of the West (Arizona, Utah, New Mexico) likely had Udalls in office in their own state. And Mo Udall was Secretary of the Interior. The Udalls are real Western, not fake Texas poseur crap. Also, Mark Udall is best known for his stand on the environment, which is the one area Coloradans wholeheartedly embrace the liberal position. That's why Wayne Allard went out of his way to link himself with Udall in the last Senate race. Heck, Udall should dig up the same headlines ("Udall, Allard promote wilderness bill") that Allard used in his TV ads.

Udall's biggest plus is his image. Roy Romer and Ben Nighthorse Campbell were loved for their leather jacket wearing, outlaw looking ways, but that isn't the only self-image Coloradans like. Udall is a young, athletic, outdoorsy guy, which is how Coloradans like to view ourselves. It is true that image counts for a lot in Colorado politics.

I like Udall's chances against the long-forgotten Bob Schaffer or the nutcase Tancredo (who probably wouldn't get the nomination). I really don't think Marilyn Musgrave will run. I think Scott McInnis would be the GOP's best candidate, but he needs to introduce himself to people on the Front Range in a big hurry. Beauprez would have the most money for a negative ad blitz but his rich-businessman demeanor would have to be carefully camouflaged in a campaign against the outdoorsy Udall. Not to mention the fact he is a Front Range developer could be a major liability in the southern and western parts of the state, where Referendum A sowed distrust of Front Range Republicans. (Another reason McInnis is the strongest Republican candidate.)

I assume Udall's announcement means he has talked to Ken Salazar and Salazar will not run. I can't say I'm surprised; there was no reason for Salazar to think he couldn't have beaten Campbell if what he really wanted was the Senate seat. His eyes are on that little-used mansion over at 8th and Logan.

Update 03.10.04: Did you see the list of candidates on the front page of the Denver Post this morning? It says "US Rep. Mark Udall, Eldorado Springs." Image of Boulder: Pot smoking hippies, Volvo driving yoga teachers, spoiled racist frat boys. Image of Eldorado Springs: Pure, clean drinking water and gorgeous mountain scenery.

But he just moved there to run for Senate! you protest. No, he moved there in December and then announced he would not run.

Comments

[Blue the Wild Dog]

I think it was Stewart Udall who was Secretary of the Interior. Mo Udall replaced his brother Stewart as a Congressman from Arizona when Stewart became Secretary of the Interior.

http://www.nationmaster.com/encyclopedia/United-States-Secretary-of-the-Interior
http://www.udall.gov/mku.htm

[Ralph]

Give 'em hell, Mark!

[Luis]

Blue, thanks for the correction. Guess my Arizona roots are showing a little bit.

[Ralph]

Eldorado Springs? You mean Idaho Springs?

Eldorado Springs is about two miles south of Boulder and is mostly known for being the place where they wanted to dump all the crap from Rocky Flats.

I thought Udall was moving to Idaho Springs.

[Luis]

Yeah, I know where Eldorado Springs is. West of Marshall. That's where he moved. Maybe in Boulder they know it as the place somebody wanted to move Rocky Flats waste to, but here in Denver it is known as the place where that great bottled water comes from. I also recall Eldorado Springs State Park is a prime rock climbing spot.

[ralph]

Does anybody know the record for the shortest Senate campaign?