April 16, 2007 06:39 PM UTC

Udall Files for Senate, Reports $1.5 Million

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• by: Colorado Pols

As Colorado Confidential reports:

Congressman Mark Udall (D-Eldorado Springs) today announced his plans to officially file paperwork to form a new Senate election committee, the first formal step in his expected run for the Senate in 2008.

Udall, the only known candidate for the 2008 Senate race, discussed his intentions for the senate as well as the results of his first quarter fundraising efforts on a conference call with reporters this morning.

“It’s a political milestone for me today,” said Udall. “Completing this paperwork is the first step towards building a successful campaign organization. Today is not an official announcement but is a confirmation of my long-stated intention to run for U.S. Senate in 2008.”

Udall raised $334,882 for his congressional campaign in the first quarter of 2007, all of which is transferrable into a campaign for Senate. More importantly, Udall surpassed $1.5 million ($1,537,686) in cash on hand. In the 2004 Senate race, Democrat Ken Salazar spent roughly $10 million in order to defeat Republican Pete Coors, and Udall says that while his campaign team is still looking at an exact projection, that number will be the minimum needed to win in 2008.