Throughout this summer and fall, a strange sight could be found at the top of around 50 Colorado peaks that soar more than 14,000 feet above sea level. Small bands of climbers have ascended these mountains and paused on top to unveil "Summit with Strickland" signs in support of Democrat Tom Strickland.

It is one of the publicity efforts the former U.S. attorney's campaign has used to raise their candidate's exposure as he makes his second run for U.S. Senate against Republican incumbent Wayne Allard. It is also an attempt to emphasize Strickland's his position on environmental issues -- one of the key topics he hopes will stand out against Allard.

In the 1996 race, Strickland waged a heated campaign against Allard, then a U.S. Representative, for an open Senate seat. In the end, Strickland lost to Allard by a narrow margin, 46 percent to 51 percent. But that was six years ago, and this year Strickland argues the advantage is his. Democrats contend Allard had accomplished little in his first term and that his voting record is too conservative for the Colorado.

They also say Strickland's experience as U.S. attorney boosts his credentials to serve as senator.

Born and raised in Texas, Tom Strickland left the Lone Star State to attend college at Louisiana State University. He later returned, studying law at the University of Texas, where he graduated with honors in 1977. Strickland got involved in politics early in life, volunteering for then-Colorado Gov. Dick Lamm, and later becoming Lamm's director of policy and research and serving on two state transportation commissions.

In 1984, Strickland accepted a position at Brownstein, Hyatt & Farber, a law firm known for its political connections, where he eventually became partner. After the 1996 campaign, Strickland returned to his law practice. In 1999, President Clinton appointed him U.S. Attorney for Colorado -- a position he held until President Bush came to power.

While Strickland tries to emphasize his "regular guy" image, Republicans have focused on his wealth and his work as a lawyer, alleging in an advertisement that Strickland "brags about getting tough on corporate crooks, but who's he kidding? Tom Strickland made $25,000 in one day selling Global Crossing stock, a company under investigation by the FBI." During a recent debate on NBC News' "Meet the Press," Strickland called the ad's accusations of misdeeds in his work for the failed telecom company "completely misleading and false." Yet political observers say his corporate connections have hurt Strickland in a year when most Democrats are finding themselves on the advantageous side of the business scandals.

Despite his denials, Allard's television ads label Strickland a "millionaire lawyer-lobbyist." One ad takes issue with Strickland's environmental image, saying he once defended a medical waste company that wanted to build an incinerator in a poor district of Denver.

Strickland is working hard to counter the Global Crossing connections and the accusations that he is too liberal for moderate Colorado. He emphasizes his work as U.S. Attorney, saying he has built a solid record being tough on crime. He says he is a fiscal conservative who supports eliminating the estate tax for farms and small businesses.

On foreign policy and defense issues, his stands differ little from Allard's. Strickland has said he supports a missile defense program and would vote in favor of a resolution granting President Bush the right to use force in Iraq.

On most issues, however, he endorses traditional Democratic positions. Strickland maintains he is the "green" candidate in the Senate race. He opposes drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge but says he supports developing domestic energy sources, particularly in Colorado. He also supports researching renewable energy sources and improving efficiency standards. In 1992 Strickland oversaw the creation of Great Outdoors Colorado (GOCO), a program that uses lottery dollars to help fund wildlife programs, trails, parks and conservation education.

He has also said he will fight any move to privatize parts of the Social Security program. He has criticized Allard for endorsing President Bush's plan to invest part of the Social Security surplus in private investments.

--By Emily Birr, Online NewsHour