Spy critics lose ally as Udall goes down in Colorado

Critics of the nation’s intelligence programs lost a key ally on Tuesday, when Sen. Mark Udall (D-Colo.) was defeated by Rep. Cory Gardner (R).

During his term in office, Udall has been a vocal supporter of civil liberties and has criticized both the Obama and Bush administrations for secret spying operations that he says have infringed on Americans’ right to privacy.

{mosads}As a member of the Intelligence Committee, Udall was one of few lawmakers with access to the full details about many secret spy programs.

Along with Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) — a fellow committee member — Udall has blasted operations at the CIA and the National Security Agency (NSA) from the Senate floor and in interviews with national news outlets.

Earlier this year, for instance, he was the first lawmaker to call for CIA Director John Brennan to step down, after the spy chief admitted that some officials had “improperly accessed” Senate staffers’ computer networks during a standoff over a controversial report on the CIA’s “enhanced interrogation” practices. He has also criticized use of the Guantanamo Bay detention facility, the NSA’s “backdoor” searches of Americans’ communications and other key issues for civil libertarians.

As one of the few Intelligence Committee members actively criticizing U.S. spy agencies, Udall was a rare check on intelligence officials trying to expand their reach, supporters said.

Gardner, on the other hand, is not a member of the House Intelligence Committee. While he has said he supports much of Udall’s criticism of the NSA and other spy agencies, lobbyists and activists involved in the issue do not expect Gardner to make it one of his main issues in the Senate.

Tech companies have taken a huge hit from NSA spying, and could be facing as much as $180 billion in profit losses due to dwindling public trust in their services.

The industry failed to mount a strong enough defense of Udall to save his seat, however, much to the chagrin of some advocates.