Udall, Mark Emery (1950-…), a Democrat from Colorado, served as a member of the United States Senate from 2009 to 2015. Prior to his election to the Senate, Udall had served in the U.S. House of Representatives since 1999. Udall comes from a prominent political family. His father, Morris K. Udall, served in the House of Representatives for 30 years. Mark Udall’s cousin Tom Udall , a Democrat from New Mexico, also became a U.S. senator in 2009. Another cousin, Gordon Smith, represented Oregon in the Senate from 1997 to 2009.
Mark Emery Udall was born in Tucson, Arizona, on July 18, 1950. He received his bachelor’s degree in American civilization from Williams College in Williamstown, Massachusetts, in 1972. After moving to Colorado, Udall served as an educator and later as executive director at Outward Bound School, an organization for wilderness-focused learning programs.
Udall entered politics in 1997, when he was elected to the state House of Representatives. In 1998, he won election to the U.S. House, where he served five two-year terms. Udall won election to the United States Senate in 2008. As a senator, Udall focused on issues related to national defense, renewable energy, and the national parks. In 2014, Udall lost a bid for reelection to U.S. Representative Cory Gardner.
