Claim: "The guy I'm running against actually proposed a 50-cents-per-gallon tax increase. There are people in Washington who want gas prices to be higher."
- Republican Bob Schaffer, speaking to a group of voters in Saguache last week.

Facts: At an energy conference in June 2002, U.S. Rep. Mark Udall, an Eldorado Springs Democrat, was asked, if there was a bill to raise gas taxes by 50 cents a gallon, would he vote for it. According to an article in the Foster Natural Gas Report, Udall responded: "If there were ever 217 other members of the House willing to face the firing squad, yes. . . . This country is not ready for that approach."

Udall never proposed such an increase. Even at the time, his support was based on a condition he said was unlikely to occur.