Democrat Linda Newell knows she has a Republican opponent in Senate District 26.

She's just never met, seen or heard from Lauri Clapp.

 "It's so bizarre," Newell told PolitickerCO.com. "I've never even met her -- I never even talked to her. I tried -- I've called her. I called her the day after the primaries (and) said ‘Congratulations.' I called her two times after that. I emailed her to invite her to a town hall so that we could have all of the candidates there. I never got a call or email back."

"And I've been at every community event in the area that I could attend, and I still never met her," Newell added. "There's not been one person whom I've talked with who has said that they've seen her during the campaign."

Newell said the only possible explanation in her mind about why she hasn't seen Clapp on the campaign trail is that Clapp's relying on the traditionally Republican district to vote the party ticket in November.

 "I'm thinking she gets the feeling she's going to win by the ‘R' on the side of her name," Newell said.

Clapp did not return a phone call nor an email seeking comment Monday afternoon.

Newell, a Littleton business consultant, is facing Clapp, a former state representative, in what is shaping up to be one of the key legislative races in the state this year.

The two are vying to succeed state Sen. Steve Ward (R-Littleton), who declined to seek re-election in order to launch an ultimately unsuccessful bid for Congress.

Though the district has traditionally leaned Republican, more registered Democrats and unaffilateds have moved into the district during the past couple years.