Sen. Mark Udall (D., Colo.) denied saying hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, "keeps us locked in the old system" on Monday when Republican opponent Cory Gardner pressed the issue during a debate.
Udall’s remark flatly denies a story the Washington Free Beacon’s Elizabeth Harrington published in September.
Udall accused Gardner of "pulling facts" out of nowhere even though an audio recording from April revealed Udall told a constituent that fracking adversely affected Colorado and kept the state "locked in the old system."
"That was a right-wing blog approach that the mainstream media disregarded," Udall quipped. "I didn’t say it. I don’t believe it."
Gardner first pressed Udall on the controversial remark in a September debate, where he responded that "fracking is an important part of an energy mix" in Colorado.