In May 2013, Hudak, along with fellow Democrats John Morse and Angela Giron, were targeted for recall allegedly because of their support of controversial gun control legislation. Supporters of the recall needed to collect 19,000 valid signatures by June 3 to force a recall election of Hudak, but the recall effort was suspended on May 22. Both Morse and Giron were successfully recalled in an election on September 10. On October 4, organizers renewed efforts to recall Hudak, one day after Republicans Bernie Herpin and George Rivera — elected to fill the vacancies of Morse and Giron — were sworn into office. Supporters of the renewed effort had until December 3 to gather the 18,900 signatures needed to force a recall election of Hudak. On November 27, Hudak resigned. This move ensured the seat would remain in Democratic hands, since a Democratic vacancy committee would appoint a successor. Days prior to Hudak's resignation, organizer Mike McAlpine told a radio host that his group had reached “92 percent” of its target number of signatures for the recall. According to an excerpt of the recall petition language, Hudak "...has infringed upon our constitutional right to keep and bear arms. She has voted to make all citizens less safe and to drive hundreds of jobs from Colorado." Commenting on the effort, Hudak said, "A small group is seeking to undo the will of voters, who re-elected me to the Senate last November. Unable to defeat me then, they are now attempting a political power grab using a low-voter-turnout, no-mail-ballot recall election strategy."