Linda Newell

LITTLETON, October 1, 2008 – Littleton businesswoman Linda Newell, a Democrat making her first run for political office in a State Senate district that’s voted Republican for decades, led her Republican opponent by four points in a test heat conducted this summer by Lauer Johnson Research.

“We’re certainly not ready to declare victory based on the test heat results,” said Newell, candidate for the Colorado Senate in District 26, which includes Littleton and parts of several other Arapahoe County cities. “But it explains the incredibly strong bipartisan support I’m hearing as I meet with voters in our district.”

One reason she’s so optimistic, Newell said, is that the Arapahoe County district has been trending steadily toward Democratic candidates in recent elections, and four years ago Democrat Jared Ingwalson came within one percent of winning the seat. Additionally, with recent voter registrations in the county, Democrats are just shy of tying Republicans in numbers for the first time.

The polling supports this trend with Senate District 26 leaning Democratic in the State Senate race 42% to 38%.

“But the real reason I expect to win,” Newell said, “is that I am the candidate with bipartisan support who speaks for the many voters who are tired of the old politics – of politicians and lobbyists representing special interests. I’m an ordinary citizen with genuine concerns about this beautiful state in which we live. I believe the state belongs to ALL of us, not just some of us. Based on her voting record, my opponent’s totally out of touch with most of the people who live in our district. I’ve never met her, though, so the only thing I can go on is her record. She’s declined or ignored every community event and town hall invite.”

Lauri Clapp most recently was a lobbyist for the mortgage industry. Below, is a portion of her voting record during her tenure in the Colorado House:

• Voted to cut $25.8 million from the State Education Fund and $250,000 from the Old Age Pension Fund.
• Voted to cut health insurance for low-income children, pregnant women, community clinics, anti-smoking programs and school breakfasts.
• Voted against the Colorado Discount Drug program.
• Voted to suspend the Colorado Homestead Exemption providing a property tax break for senior citizens and the disabled.
• Voted to limit unemployment insurance for people who have lost their jobs.
• Voted against Gov. Bill Owens’ blue ribbon commission on healthcare reform.
• Voted against training programs for Colorado peace officers.
• Suggested the state consider executing convicted juveniles and the mentally impaired.

Ms. Clapp resigned early from the House to take advantage of a loophole allowing her to return immediately to the State Capitol as a lobbyist. “We need elected officials with more integrity than that,” Newell said.

“I support affordable, preventive healthcare choices for all citizens,” Newell continued. “We rank 42nd in the nation in healthcare funding and that’s just unacceptable. We need to do a better job of helping our schools provide a safe, effective learning environment for our children and provide incentives for retaining our best teachers in the classroom. We need to provide solutions for higher education because Colorado companies need a skilled and educated workforce to compete in the global economy and Colorado citizens need good educations to qualify for good jobs.”

Coming from business and workforce development, Newell also is a strong supporter of economic programs to promote both business and job growth.

“We’re facing some of the biggest economic challenges in our nation’s history,” Newell noted. “I’ll use my business experience to step up to the challenge of supporting employees and businesses alike because we’re all in this together.”

Littleton businesswoman Linda Newell has worked for large and small businesses and as a consultant working with executives, managers and employees on job training and people strategies. She’s been active in community activities for many years, volunteering for the Girl Scouts, ARC, local public television, Littleton Public Schools and other worthy causes.