Tom Udall (D-N.M.)

U.S. Senator (since January 2009)

(Senate office)

Why He Matters

Like all Udalls before him, New Mexico's junior senator is a Westerner through and through.

Taking cues from his father Stewart Udall, a congressman and secretary of interior for the Kennedy and Johnson administrations, and his uncle Morris Udall, a 30-year congressional veteran and 1976 presidential candidate, Udall devotes much of his time to environmental and energy issues. His brother Mark Udall is a senator from Colorado.

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Background

At a Glance

Career History: U.S. Representative (1999 to 2008); New Mexico Attorney General (1991 to 1997); Attorney (1985 to 1990)
Birthday: May 18, 1948
Hometown: Tucson, Ariz.
Alma Mater: Prescott College, B.S., 1970; University of Cambridge, B.L., 1975; University of New Mexico Law School, J.D., 1977
Spouse: Jill Cooper
Religion: Religion
Committees: Commerce, Science and Transportation ; Indian Affairs ; Rules ; Environment and Public Works ; Foreign Relations
DC Office: Hart Office Building 110

State Office: Albuquerque 505-346-6792
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Path to Power

One of six children born to Stewart and Ermalee Udall, Tom Udall was born on May 18, 1948, in Tucson, Arizona. He spent his childhood shuttling between Tucson and, with his father a member of two presidential cabinets, McLean, Va.

Udall returned to Arizona to attend Prescott College and graduated in 1970. Five years later he received his bachelor of laws degree from the University of Cambridge and quickly moved to New Mexico. In 1982 Udall took his first stab at elected politics, finishing dead last in the Democratic primary for the newly created 3rd congressional district. After another unsuccessful run for Congress in 1988, Udall won the statewide race for attorney general in 1990 and won re-election to that post in 1994.

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During his eight-year tenure as attorney general, Udall took tough stands on domestic violence, drunk driving and political corruption. He also served as president of the National Association of Attorneys General.

In 1998, Udall found his first success in electoral politics, winning the 3rd House district formerly occupied by Bill Richardson. A reliable critic of the Bush administration, Udall spoke out against controversial issues like the Iraq War and the U.S. Patriot Act. In 2007, Udall benefitted from the Democrats return to power when he was appointed to the influential House Appropriations Committee.

2008 Senate Race

Later in 2007, veteran Sen. Domenici announced his retirement and initially, Udall flatly rejected the calls for him to run for higher office. "The election to replace Domenici in 2008 will be a tough one, but I have every reason to believe I could win it," Udall said in an e-mail statement on Oct. 5, 2007. "I also believe, however, that as I continue to gain in seniority in the House, assume more of a leadership role, assert my authority on the Appropriations Committee and pass significant legislation like my bill to promote renewable energy, I am in the right place to serve New Mexico and the country."

Yet after pressure from the local Democratic party, Udall reversed himself and launched his Senate campaign a month after the statement. He began a quick move to the center, praising the Supreme Court's ruling that Washington, D.C.'s gun ban is unconstitutional and embracing a "do-it-all" energy policy, including offshore drilling, which he had long opposed.

During the campaign, Udall ran on a platform of bringing New Mexico change with a focus on energy and health care. He also successfully linked then-Rep. Steve Pearce to President Bush's unpopular policies. The campaign ended on a positive note with Udall praising Pearce for "focusing on the issues rather than making personal attacks," adding that "we both love New Mexico."

Pearce returned the kind words, saying, "Udall is decent and good. He is a person that will represent New Mexico well."

The Issues

Udall may have moved to center for the 2008 Senate election, but his liberal credentials are bona fide. He voted with his party 98 percent of the time in the 110th Congress and his 2007 voting score from the American Conservative Union was 0. The liberal group Americans for Democratic Action gave him a score of 100.

Udall's priorities once in the Senate will likely be similar to those he focused on in the House: national security, the environment and the economy.

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The Environment

A well-established friend of the environment, Udall gained early endorsements in the 2008 Senate contest from the League of Conservation Voters, the Sierra Club and the Defenders of Wildlife Action Fund. In the House, he co-sponsored a measure to create a renewable electricity standard and introduced the Keep America Competitive Global Warming Act in 2006, which included a cap-and-trade system to reduce greenhouse gases. He is also a co-founder of both the House International Conservation Caucus and the Peak Oil Caucus, which works to reduce American oil consumption.

The Economy

Udall has said that the economy will be his highest priority on his first day as New Mexico's junior senator. He has also voiced support for a new economic stimulus package and extension of unemployment benefits.

Udall twice voted against the House's $700 billion bailout of the financial industry, saying the two votes he cast on the issue were among his most difficult. "Instead of bailing out Wall Street investors, the bill should have helped responsible homeowners by allowing them to renegotiate their mortgages in bankruptcy court. This would have addressed the root cause of the problem - risky mortgages gone bad - while helping responsible families stay in their homes," he wrote.

Udall's positions on other economic issues favor the middle class. He supports Sen Dick Durbin's (D-Ill.) Patriot Employers Act, which extends tax credits to companies that employs American workers with an U.S. headquarters. He has also fought to diversify the missions of the Los Alamos and Sandia national laboratories so they have stronger connections with local business.

National Security

During his time in the House, Udall was very critical of the Bush administration's national security policy. His opposition began with a vote against the Iraq war and continued with his opposition to both $87 million in war funding and a resolution declaring the world safer after the fall of Saddam Hussein.

After a 2006 visit to Iraq, Udall told a Santa Fe audience that the war "will go down as one of our historic foreign-policy blunders," and he has advocated for the withdrawal of American troops.

Just as often, Udall disagreed with the administration on issues of domestic security. He opposes the U.S. Patriot Act for its erosion of civil liberties and when the National Security Administration's secret domestic spying program was revealed, he called it "a significant violation of privacy for all Americans."

The Network

The first political network of all Udalls is fellow Udalls. Tom and his cousin Mark Udall, the junior senator from Colorado, are both on the Peak Oil Caucus and rely on one another for political advice.

He also campaigned with New Mexico's senior Sen. Jeff Bingaman (D) who has vowed to help get Udall on committees he wants. "I think that there are things that we can do very effectively, particularly with a Democratic administration," Bingamin said.

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Additional Resources

http://www.santafenewmexican.com/Local%20News/Economy-tops-Udall-s-priorities
http://www.santafenewmexican.com/Local%20News/Tom-Udall--Democrat-rides-wave-of-popular-support
http://gristmill.grist.org/story/2008/10/20/145754/91
http://www.roswell-record.com/main.asp?FromHome=1&TypeID=1&ArticleID=34354&SectionID=51&SubSectionID=124
http://www.tomudall.house.gov/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=12&Itemid=26
http://elections.foxnews.com/candidate/thomas-stewart-udall/
http://www.lcsun-news.com/ci_10948084
http://www.abqtrib.com/news/2007/oct/05/rep-tom-udall-wont-run-replace-sen-pete-domenici/
http://www.santafenewmexican.com/Local%20News/Replacing-Domenici-likely-to-be-tough-task-for-Udall
http://www.santafenewmexican.com/Opinion/Democrat-Tom-Udall-Anti-bailout-votes-among-hardest-I-ve-ever-c