DENVER – Republican U.S. Rep. Cory Gardner is being criticized by Democrats for releasing an ad on Wednesday that mentions his opponent’s dead father.
In the 30-second spot, Gardner goes after U.S. Sen. Mark Udall’s late father, Mo Udall, as well as his two cousins, who serve in Congress.
“Eighteen years in politics and he’s got two cousins who are senators too. Mark Udall’s dad even ran for president,” Gardner, of Yuma, says in the ad.
“My dad, well, he sells tractors, just like my grandad, and I’m darn proud of that,” Gardner continues, pointing to his father who is standing by a tractor.
“Mark Udall is a real nice guy,” Gardner says at the beginning of the ad. “He’s a nice guy who will never change the Senate. He is the Senate.”
Mo Udall gained a respected reputation when serving in Congress. He ran for president in 1976. Mark Udall’s cousins, Tom Udall, D-New Mexico, and Mike Lee, R-Utah, both serve in the Senate.
The ad kicked off a firestorm on Twitter, in which Democrats blasted Gardner and his campaign for taking personal digs at family members.
Udall himself was appalled by the ad, releasing a statement expressing his disappointment.
“This race should be about who can better represent the great state of Colorado, not personal attacks on our families,” Udall said, “So, to see Congressman Gardner decide to go after my late father and members of my family in a negative ad, that’s just low, no matter what ‘generation’ Congressman Gardner claims to represent. I’m proud of my dad. He was as Western and bipartisan and commonsense as a man could get.
“Folks loved my dad, I loved my dad, and that isn’t gonna change no matter how personal and negative Congressman Gardner’s campaign gets,” Udall continued. “This just isn’t the way we do things here in Colorado, and it’s a shame Congressman Gardner doesn’t know any better.”
Gardner campaign manager Chris Hansen pointed out that Udall has been attacking Gardner as well, especially when it comes to a federal pro-life bill sponsored by Gardner that some equate to personhood, and suggesting that Gardner abandoned Colorado when it came to flood recovery last year.
“This is rich. For six months Sen. Udall has done nothing but wage the nastiest campaign in America and now he is upset that we are calling him a nice guy?” Hansen said. “Mark Udall has been in Washington for so long and is so partisan that he can’t even take a compliment when it comes from the other party.”
But Democratic strategist Laura Chapin said some things should just be off the table.
“The fact that Gardner’s campaign is desperate enough to go after the beloved Mo Udall means they’re losing, and no particular message is effective for them,” she said.
pmarcus@durangoherald.com
