Senator Mark Udall (D. CO) is climbing up the ranks in the U.S. Senate:
http://denver.cbslocal.com/...
Colorado Democratic Sen. Mark Udall has been named chairman of the Strategic Forces Subcommittee of the Senate Armed Services Committee.
Udall’s office said Wednesday the subcommittee oversees cyberdefense, military space programs, nuclear weapons and intelligence programs.
It’s the first time Udall has been chosen to lead an Armed Services subcommittee. - CBS 4 Denver, 2/21/13
This is the first subcommittee Udall has been named chairman. Udall also serves on two other Armed Forces subcommittees, one on emerging threats and capabilities and the other on readiness and management support. With Udall's record on civil liberties and making our military greener this new chairmanship gives him a lot more influence on defense. It also makes the case to Colorado voters why Udall is a valued member of the U.S. Senate. Nate Silver currently has Udall in the Likely Democrat category:
http://fivethirtyeight.blogs.nytimes.com/...
Colorado. The approval ratings of Senator Mark Udall, a Democrat, are middling, but Republicans have nominated a series of weak candidates in statewide races in Colorado and have no clear front-runner to challenge him in 2014. - Nate Silver, New York Times, 2/20/13
Udall is also currently being targeted by the N.R.A. to pressure him into voting against President Obama's gun control legislation:
http://blogs.denverpost.com/...
The National Rifle Association plans to target Democrats up for re-election in 2014 — including Sen. Mark Udall — with a print ad blitz starting Thursday.
Roll Call reported, citing “sources close to the group” that the print and digital ads will run in Louisiana, Maine, North Carolina, West Virginia, Alaska, Colorado, Montana, New Hampshire and South Dakota.
The group will also run ads in USA Today starting Feb. 25, which will hit at least 15 states, according to the story. - Denver Post, 2/21/13
Udall has stated that he does support gun control but has yet to make a statement on banning assault weapons. He also has a C grade from the N.R.A.. If you are a Colorado resident, call his office and urge him to get behind banning assault weapons:
202-224-5941
And here are the numbers to his local offices:
Clark: 303-650-7820
Greeley: 970-356-5586
Grand Junction: 970-245-9553
Denver: 303-650-7820
Pueblo: 719-542-1701
Durango: 970-247-1047
Colorado Springs: 719-471-3993
Alamosa: 719-589-2101