Posted on 04/16/2007 4:02:45 PM PDT by Rawlings
Rep. Mark Udall formally started his campaign for Senate today, filing the paperwork to turn his House reelection campaign fund into a cache for the statewide seat.
"This is a confirmation, a very important first step in making real my intention,'' Udall, an Eldorado Democrat, said.
Udall made the announcement as he filed other paperwork showing how much money his congressional campaign fund has raised. That fund took in nearly $324,000 in the first quarter of the year and ended March with $1.5 million.
Udall started the period with $1.3 million already in hand.
Udall will need millions more for that Senate race. The seat is now open, with Sen. Wayne Allard announcing his retirement. In the 2004 open Senate race, winner Sen. Ken Salazar, a Democrat, spent $10 million and Republican Pete Coors spent $8 million.
Udall said while he thinks "it's a shame'' that it costs that much to run, he knows the race will cost at least $10 million and probably more.
I"m on pace,'' to raise that money,'' Udall said. "It's a necessary part of the process.''
Udall's contributions during the period came from a wide swath of givers in 16 states and the District of Columbia. About $173,000 came from individuals and $151,000 from political action committees.
About $123,000 of the total came from Colorado. Another $99,000 came from Washington D.C.-based political action committees.
Udall took in contributions of $5,000 each from 15 political action committees, including those of Englewood-based CH2M Hill, Raytheon, the National Beer Wholesalers Association, and organized labor groups representing airline pilots, electrical workers and food and commercial workers. Unions representing air traffic controllers, dentists, firefighters, and auto workers gave smaller amounts.
Pharmaceutical maker Pfizer's PAC gave $2,500 as did the PAC of mortgage giant Fannie Mae. The Home Depot PAC gave $2,000.
Individual contributors who gave $2,300 each included Andrew Wiessner, who lists his occupation as consultant to a Western land group; George Gillett, chairman of Booth Creek Management, operator of Booth Creek ski resort; Boulder-based philanthropist Linda Shoemaker; Vail-based real estate developer Harry Frampton; and Richard Gooding, president of Paragon Ranch, a Denver-based energy development firm. Norm Brownstein of Brownstein, Hyatt & Farber law firm gave $2,000.
Udall's campaign spent about $60,000 during the three month period
Mark Udall was my Outward Bound course leader in 1979. Good guy, but his politics are too whack.
We hope he loses, but don’t underestimate the CO GOP for seizing defeat from the jaws of victory.
So far, the GOP doesn’t even have an announced candidate, while Udall is sitting atop some $1.5 million in cash on hand. Not a promising beginning.
No, it isn't. Rove should have been able to recruit somebody by now.
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