RSS
Home
Senate Race Heats Up
Print
Email
RSS
Subscribe
The race for Colorado’s open Senate seat is heating up, way up. The burner has always been turned above simmer for this race, but recent advertisements by a shadowy 501(c) non-profit group, and the disappearance of Mark Udall’s lead, have raised the dial to high.
The two candidates, Democrat Mark Udall and Republican Bob Schaffer, represent very different visions for the future of Colorado and the United States. The monikers given each candidate by the opposition, “Boulder Democrat” for Udall and “Big Oil Bob” for Schaffer, has succeeded to separate the candidates on a low-brow, strictly partisan, basis.
“You Don’t Know Udall” is the name of the latest advertisement produced by a group called Coloradoans for Economic Growth. The 501(c) label means the group doesn’t pay taxes, or have to reveal its creators and financial backers. The ad snidely states that Udall is “fighting for the biggest tax increase in history,” but fails to mention his fight is really to end the Bush tax cuts for the rich.
The monikers do reveal some truths about each candidate’s political platform and background. Udall actually resides in nearby Eldorado Springs, and supported progressive legislation while serving in the U.S. House. Schaffer’s last job was as an oil industry executive, where he helped negotiate an oil contract with Iraqi Kurd’s that hindered a government oil-sharing deal.
This contest will be a litmus test for the progressive movement in Colorado.
Both sides claim to have won their first debate, and Schaffer seems to have withstood his public blunders. Given the traditional stronghold of Republican influence in the state, and the reluctance some non-partisan voters may have for putting two Democrats in the Senate, this race will probably remain on the front burner until the election.
Related Articles:
Add a Comment
