Editing Mark Udall (section)

==U.S. Senate==
===Elections===
;2004
{{main|2004 United States Senate election in Colorado}}
In 2004, Udall announced his candidacy for the Senate seat which was being vacated by [[Ben Nighthorse Campbell]]. However, the following day, [[Colorado Attorney General]] [[Ken Salazar]] announced his candidacy as well. Udall bowed out of the race and endorsed Salazar.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.coloradostatesman.com/editorials/991516-political-whirlwind-harks-back-04|title=Political whirlwind harks back to '04|date=January 8, 2010|author=Jody Hope Strogoff|work=The Colorado Statesman}}</ref>
 
;2008
{{main|2008 United States Senate election in Colorado}}
[[File:2008 United States Senate election in Colorado results map by county.svg|thumb|240px|right|Senate election results by county.]]
On January 15, 2007, incumbent Senator [[Wayne Allard]] announced he would not run for a third term.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070115/ap_on_go_co/allard_senate |title=Report: Sen. Allard won't seek 3rd term |publisher=[[Associated Press]] |date=January 15, 2007 |first=Steven K.|last= Paulson |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070117065256/http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070115/ap_on_go_co/allard_senate |archive-date=January 17, 2007 |url-status=dead|via=[[Yahoo! News]] }}</ref> In April 2007, Udall announced his campaign for the Senate.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cqpolitics.com/2007/05/race_to_succeed_senatebidding.html|title=Race to Succeed Senate-Bidding Colorado Rep. Udall Already Getting Crowded|date=May 2, 2007|first=Greg|last= Grioux|work=[[Congressional Quarterly]]|archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20070503075932/http://www.cqpolitics.com/2007/05/race_to_succeed_senatebidding.html|archive-date=May 3, 2007|url-status=dead|access-date=August 25, 2024}}</ref> Udall became the Democratic nominee for the race after running unopposed in the primary.<ref>{{cite magazine|last1=Hook|first1=Carol|title=Fact Sheet: Mark Udall Vs. Bob Schaffer for Colorado's U.S. Senate Seat|url=https://www.usnews.com/news/articles/2008/11/04/fact-sheet-mark-udall-vs-bob-schaffer-for-colorados-us-senate-seat|access-date=August 11, 2014|magazine=US News|date=November 4, 2008}}</ref> In the general election, Udall faced former [[U.S. Representative]] Republican [[Bob Schaffer]]. By August 28, 2008, over $10 million had been spent on attack ads against Udall by political parties and [[political action committees]], an amount higher than in any other Senate race that year.<ref name="fail to shift">{{cite news|url=https://www.denverpost.com/2008/09/23/attack-ads-fail-to-shift-udalls-lead/|work=Denver Post|first=Michael|last=Riley|title=Attack ads fail to shift Udall's lead|date=September 24, 2008|archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20080927041513/http://www.denverpost.com/politics/ci_10541278|archive-date=September 27, 2008|url-status=dead|url-access=limited}}</ref>

The race was especially competitive, with Democrats wanting to expand their majority as much as possible due to that year's presidential election.<ref name="usatoday">{{cite web|url=http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/news/politics/election2008/co.htm?csp=34|title=Obama wins Colo.; Democrat Udall wins senate seat|date=November 5, 2008|author=Emily Bazar|work=[[USA Today]]}}</ref> While both ''[[CQ Politics]]''<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cqpolitics.com/wmspage.cfm?docID=ratings-senate |title=Race Ratings Chart: Senate |publisher=[[CQ Politics]] |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101028234525/http://www.cqpolitics.com/wmspage.cfm?docID=ratings-senate |archive-date=2010-10-28 }}</ref> and ''[[Stuart Rothenberg|The Rothenberg Political Report]]''<ref>{{cite web|url=http://rothenbergpoliticalreport.blogspot.com/2008/09/2008-senate-ratings_29.html|title=Senate Ratings|publisher=[[Stuart Rothenberg|The Rothenberg Political Report]]|date=September 29, 2008}}</ref> estimated Udall would win, and ''[[The Cook Political Report]]'' considered it a 'Toss Up,'<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cookpolitical.com/charts/senate/raceratings_2008-10-09_12-20-35.php |title=2008 Senate Race Ratings |publisher=[[The Cook Political Report]] |date=September 10, 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081120172055/http://www.cookpolitical.com/charts/senate/raceratings_2008-10-09_12-20-35.php |archive-date=November 20, 2008 }}</ref> Udall maintained a steady lead in the polls, but with neither candidate usually topping 50%.<ref name="fail to shift"/> Udall described the race as "the toughest climb I've ever taken."<ref name="usatoday"/> On November 4, Udall won the election by 240,265 votes.

;2014
{{main|2014 United States Senate election in Colorado}}
[[File:2014 United States Senate election in Colorado results map by county.svg|thumb|240px|right|Senate election results by county.]]
On January 7, 2013, Udall announced he was running for re-election.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://coloradopols.com/diary/19205/sen-mark-udall-launches-2014-reelection-campaign|title=Sen. Mark Udall Kicks Off 2014 Re-Election Campaign|date=January 17, 2013|access-date=January 27, 2013|work=Colorado Pols}}</ref> Udall was unopposed in the Democratic primary, and faced Republican U.S. Representative [[Cory Gardner]] in the general election.  Although Udall was heavily favored in early polls, around September, Gardner gained and held a steady lead thereafter.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/the-fix/wp/2014/10/22/another-poll-shows-cory-gardner-ahead-in-colorado-is-the-seat-slipping-from-democrats/|title=Another poll shows Cory Gardner ahead in Colorado. Is the seat slipping away from Democrats?|author=Nia-Malika Henderson|date=October 22, 2014|newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]}}</ref>

Udall's re-election campaign focused on [[Reproductive rights|reproductive]] and [[women's rights]]. Throughout, Udall attacked Gardner for his former support of a [[fetal personhood]] initiative, and claimed in ads that Gardner "championed an eight-year crusade to outlaw birth control here in Colorado." [[PolitiFact.com]] rated his claim "half-true," saying that it "leaves out important details."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/2014/apr/25/mark-udall/mark-udall-says-cory-gardner-championed-colorado-f/|title=Mark Udall ad says Cory Gardner 'championed' Colorado fight to ban birth control|author=Steve Contorno|date=April 25, 2014|work=[[PolitiFact.com]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2014/10/29/upshot/mark-udall-faces-a-turnout-challenge-in-colorado.html?abt=0002&abg=1&module=ArrowsNav&contentCollection=The%20Upshot&action=keypress&region=FixedLeft&pgtype=article|title=Mark Udall Faces a Turnout Challenge in Colorado|author=Nate Cohn|work=[[New York Times]]|date=October 28, 2014}}</ref> On [[MSNBC]]'s ''[[The Last Word with Lawrence O'Donnell|The Last Word]]'', [[Alex Wagner]] attributed Udall's trailing poll numbers to his "focus on reproductive rights."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.realclearpolitics.com/video/2014/10/31/msnbcs_wagner_udalls_singular_focus_on_womens_issues_has_been_the_problem_for_his_campaign.html|title=MSNBC's Wagner: Udall's "Singular Focus" on Women's Issues Has Been The Problem For His Campaign|date=October 31, 2014|work=[[MSNBC]]|publisher=[[RealClearPolitics]]|author=Ian Schwartz}}</ref> Due to his campaign's emphasis on these issues, Udall was ridiculed as "Mark Uterus."<ref>{{cite news| url = https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-fix/wp/2014/10/13/mark-udall-has-been-dubbed-mark-uterus-on-the-campaign-trail-thats-a-problem/| title = Mark Udall has been dubbed 'Mark Uterus' on the campaign trail. That's a problem. – The Washington Post| newspaper = [[The Washington Post]]}}</ref> In an October 2014 ''[[Denver Post]]'' endorsement of his opponent, the editorial board stated that "Udall's campaign has devoted a shocking amount of energy and money trying to convince voters that Gardner seeks to outlaw birth control despite the congressman's call for over-the-counter sales of contraceptives. Udall is trying to frighten voters rather than inspire them with a hopeful vision."<ref>{{cite news|title=Cory Gardner for U.S. Senate|url=https://www.denverpost.com/2014/10/10/cory-gardner-for-u-s-senate/|access-date=August 25, 2024|newspaper=Denver Post|date=October 10, 2014|url-status=dead|url-access=limited|archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20141101092132/http://www.denverpost.com/ci_26701817/cory-gardner-u-s-senate|archive-date=November 1, 2014}}</ref>

Towards the end of his campaign, Udall was accompanied by [[Second Lady of the United States]] [[Jill Biden]], [[Massachusetts]] Senator [[Elizabeth Warren]], and former [[United States Secretary of State|Secretary of State]] [[Hillary Clinton]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thestate.com/2014/11/01/3783293_jill-biden-tries-to-fire-up-democrats.html?rh=1|title=Jill Biden tries to fire up Democrats for Udall|author=Nicholas Riccardi|access-date=2014-11-02|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141102023309/http://www.thestate.com/2014/11/01/3783293_jill-biden-tries-to-fire-up-democrats.html?rh=1|archive-date=2014-11-02|url-status=dead}}</ref> In July 2014, President [[Barack Obama]] headlined a fundraiser for Udall's campaign.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Matthews|first1=Mark|title=Obama fundraiser for Udall to attract cash, criticism|url=http://www.denverpost.com/politics/ci_26100650/obama-fundraiser-udall-attract-cash-criticism|access-date=13 October 2014|publisher=Denver Post|date=July 6, 2014|work=[[The State (newspaper)|The State]]}}</ref> Udall lost the election.

===Senate tenure===
Less than one month after Udall took office in the Senate, newly elected [[President of the United States|President]] Obama nominated senior Colorado Senator [[Ken Salazar]] to serve as his [[United States Secretary of the Interior|Secretary of the Interior]]. After his confirmation, Udall became the Senate's most junior senior Senator.<ref name="carbon">{{cite web|url=http://grist.org/article/2010-02-22-sen-mark-udall-i-think-its-crucial-to-price-carbon/|title=Sen. Mark Udall: "I think it's crucial to price carbon"|author=David Roberts|date=February 23, 2010|work=Grist}}</ref>

===Committee assignments===
* [[United States Senate Committee on Armed Services|Committee on Armed Services]]
** [[United States Senate Armed Services Subcommittee on Emerging Threats and Capabilities|Subcommittee on Emerging Threats and Capabilities]] 
** [[United States Senate Armed Services Subcommittee on Readiness and Management Support|Subcommittee on Readiness and Management Support]]
** [[United States Senate Armed Services Subcommittee on Strategic Forces|Subcommittee on Strategic Forces]] (Chair)
* [[United States Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources|Committee on Energy and Natural Resources]]
** [[United States Senate Energy Subcommittee on Energy|Subcommittee on Energy]]
** [[United States Senate Energy Subcommittee on National Parks|Subcommittee on National Parks]] (Chair)
** [[United States Senate Energy Subcommittee on Public Lands and Forests|Subcommittee on Public Lands and Forests]]
* [[United States Senate Select Committee on Intelligence|Select Committee on Intelligence]]