Steven Levy, the Republican running to replace state Sen. Pam Resor, blasted his opponent Thursday for planning to attend the Democratic National Convention next week.

Levy's opponent, state Rep. Jamie Eldridge (D-Acton), wrote on the left-leaning blog Blue Mass Group that he would be heading to Denver for the convention. That trip, Levy told PolitickerMA.com, is an insult to the voters of the district.

"It basically shows disregard and disrespect for the people of the district," Levy said. "I'm working hard, knocking doors and have been since May to earn the trust and talk to the people of the district."

Eldridge's trip to Denver, Levy said, shows that he doesn't think he needs to work hard to win the state Senate race. "In a lot of ways Jamie acts like he is the anointed one," he said, "Pam's anointed successor. I don't know if he is taking that for granted but we're out there working hard to make sure he has a fight on his hands."

"I haven't heard from anyone," he added, "that they've seen Jamie out knocking on doors."

Eldridge sharply refuted Levy's remarks and call them a political ploy. "Once again, my Republican opponent is doing all he can to distract voters away from real issues," Eldridge said in a statement. "But, while he was busy creating distractions, I was leading the effort to successfully override the governor's veto of $100,000 in economic development resources for the city of Marlborough to improve the local economy."

Eldridge also disputed Levy's claim that he hasn't be campaign in the district. "I have been talking to voters all across the district," he said.

And, acknowledging the trip to Denver, Eldridge said he welcomes a comparison of the state of the two candidates' national parties.

"If my Republican opponent wants to make this race about how I represent the party of [U.S. Sen.] Barack Obama and how Republican Steven Levy represents the party of [President] George W. Bush, I don't think it will help him."

Levy, meanwhile, continued to raise doubts about how hard Eldridge is campaigning. "If Jamie were working hard," he said, "he'd be out there in this district, instead of Colorado."