Mark Udall to run for Colorado Senate Seat
No one can accuse Sen. Wayne Allard of giving would-be senators short notice when it
comes to the 2008 Senate race. The veteran Republican's announcement that two terms are enough clears the way
for a number of GOP and Democratic candidates to get organized and run for the Senate
over the next 18 months.
Although Congressman Mark Udall won't make a formal announcement until later, he has said he is running. His spokesman, Lawrence Pacheco, said Udall has campaign money left over from previous elections. "He kept his House account open," Pacheco said. The Colorado race is expected to be in national spotlight because the Senate is so closely divided -- 49 Republicans, 49 Democrats and two independents who usually vote with Democrats -- and because of Democrats' sweeping successes in Colorado since 2004. They have captured a U.S. Senate seat, two House seats, the Legislature and the governor's office, all previously held by Republicans.
PCOL Comment: Mark Udall has been one of the strongest supporters of the Peace Corps introducing and co-sponsoring legislation to expand and strengthen the agency. Udall's mother served as a volunteer in Nepal.
From September 2003 - Udall Peace Corps Measure approved as part of Foreign Relations Spending Bill
The House of Representatives today approved a measure sponsored by Congressman Mark Udall (D-CO) that would expand and strengthen the U.S. Peace Corps. The House included the measure in the Foreign Relations Authorization Act of 2004, a bill which authorizes $24.2 billion for State Department operations, U.S. contributions to various international organizations and foreign aid programs. "After more than 40 years, the Peace Corps remains one of the most admired and successful initiatives ever put in place. We need an expanded and refocused Peace Corps that can take on the challenges that September 11th has presented us, and a Peace Corps that can be a strong symbol of our nation's commitment to peace," said Udall. “We need to better understand other cultures, and we need to do a better job promoting an understanding of American values abroad.”
The Peace Corps Charter for the 21st Century Act would amend the Peace Corps Act to increase the number of Peace Corps volunteers to 15,000; encourage the Peace Corps to increase its presence in countries whose governments are seeking to foster a greater understanding by and about their citizens (particularly those with a substantial Muslim population); train all Peace Corps volunteers in the education, prevention, and treatment of infections diseases such as HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria; and create a fund to provide seed money to returned volunteers for community projects.