Udall Won't Run For Senate Seat
Mayor Webb Tells Newspaper That Neither Udall Nor Strickland Will Challenge Him
WASHINGTON -- Rep. Mark Udall said Friday that he will not seek the Democratic nomination to challenge Sen. Wayne Allard next year, potentially clearing the path for Denver Mayor Wellington Webb.
"I'm proud to represent Colorado's 2nd District, and I feel like I'm hitting my stride," Udall (pictured, left) said in a statement Friday. "After deep reflection and conversation with my family, at this point in time, I believe it makes sense to continue on the path begun and not start something entirely new."
Udall, Webb and former U.S. Attorney Tom Strickland were the three candidates most frequently discussed as opponents for Allard, R-Colo.
Webb told The Denver Post that he had spoken with Udall and Strickland and, "They won't take me on. ... It's my time."
Webb is expected to announce his plans within the next week, but not during his State of the City speech on Monday, 7NEWS reported.
Pacheco said that Udall made his decisions "independent of anything that anyone else's plans are."
Udall narrowly lost the election in 1998. He had an easier race in 2000, but could lose about 85,000 voters in redistricting this year, which could make a race for a third term more difficult.
Udall, 49, comes from a Western political dynasty. His father, Morris Udall, spent 30 years in the U.S. House of Representatives and sought the Democratic presidential nomination in 1976.
His uncle, Stewart, was Interior Secretary under Presidents Kennedy and Johnson. His cousin is Rep. Tom Udall, D-N.M.
Webb, 60, has been Denver mayor since 1991. Before that, he served in the Colorado House of Representatives and later was city auditor. He would be the first black elected to a federal office in Colorado.
Allard eked out a victory in 1996 with 51 percent of the vote, making him a target for Democrats in 2002.
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"I'm proud to represent Colorado's 2nd District, and I feel like I'm hitting my stride," Udall (pictured, left) said in a statement Friday. "After deep reflection and conversation with my family, at this point in time, I believe it makes sense to continue on the path begun and not start something entirely new."
Udall, Webb and former U.S. Attorney Tom Strickland were the three candidates most frequently discussed as opponents for Allard, R-Colo.
Webb told The Denver Post that he had spoken with Udall and Strickland and, "They won't take me on. ... It's my time."
Webb is expected to announce his plans within the next week, but not during his State of the City speech on Monday, 7NEWS reported.
Pacheco said that Udall made his decisions "independent of anything that anyone else's plans are."
Udall narrowly lost the election in 1998. He had an easier race in 2000, but could lose about 85,000 voters in redistricting this year, which could make a race for a third term more difficult.
Udall, 49, comes from a Western political dynasty. His father, Morris Udall, spent 30 years in the U.S. House of Representatives and sought the Democratic presidential nomination in 1976.
His uncle, Stewart, was Interior Secretary under Presidents Kennedy and Johnson. His cousin is Rep. Tom Udall, D-N.M.
Webb, 60, has been Denver mayor since 1991. Before that, he served in the Colorado House of Representatives and later was city auditor. He would be the first black elected to a federal office in Colorado.
Allard eked out a victory in 1996 with 51 percent of the vote, making him a target for Democrats in 2002.
More Information:
Previous Story:
- June 13, 2001:
Mayor Webb To Run For U.S. Senator?
Copyright 2002 by TheDenverChannel.com. The Associated Press contributed to this report. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
