As The Hill points out, Democratic Sen. Mark Udall (Colo.) has been forced to take a side in Colorado’s fight over fracking, putting him at odds with his own state party.
Between Obama’s numbers being underwater, Democrats being viewed as anti-Fracking nationally and, now, Udall fighting with his own party, the combination may give Udall’s Republican challenger, Rep. Cory Gardner just what he needs to pull ahead in an already tight race seen as pivotal to control of the Senate in the Fall.
Now, with Colorado as one of the top natural gas producing states in the nation, the fracking controversy could be the issue that gives Rep. Cory Gardner (R-Colo.) the boost he needs in the tight-knit race of high importance in the battle for Senate control. ?
The onslaught against Democratic Sen. Mark Udall (Colo.) reached a fever pitch this week when Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper (D) had to cancel a special legislative session meant to keep two hydraulic fracturing initiatives backed by Rep. Jared Polis (D-Colo.) off the November ballot.
Young Democrat voters in Colorado tend to be Progressive and the environment is one of their key issues. If Udall is already vulnerable and will be even more so if unable to turn out a significant portion of his Colorado base.
To hear Floyd Ciruli, a non-partisan Colorado pollster for nearly 40 years tell it, Democrats are in a full-blown damage control over the fracking measures being pushed by its liberal, environmental wing.