FORT COLLINS, Colo. -- Republican Rep. Marilyn Musgrave, who lost her re-election bid and who never conceded defeat, has not talked to the media since her defeat.

Now, she is blaming her Colorado defeat on "leftist special interests" who "smothered the truth with vicious attacks and lies."

Musgrave made her comments in robo-calls sent Monday to 275,000 households in Georgia to support Republican Sen. Saxby Chamblis, who is in a runoff election against Democrat Jim Martin.

She warned that "pro-abortion radicals and liberal activists" that defeated her are trying the same route in Georgia, against Chambliss.

It is believed to be Musgrave's first public comment since Democrat Betsy Markey defeated her on Nov. 4, for the 4th District seat. The three-term Republican incumbent was defeated by Democratic challenger Betsy Markey, 56 percent to 44 percent, or 39,000 votes.

Musgrave never conceded defeat, prompting Newsweek Magazine to label her a "sore loser." MSNBC said her refusal to concede proved that "Betsy Markey deserved to win that race on manners alone."

Messages left for Musgrave with her Washington-based spokesman or Colorado-based campaign office were not returned Tuesday.

The Georgia robo-calls were reported Tuesday on the Web site of the Fort Collins Coloradoan. The newspaper has an online copy of the robo-call available to listen to.

Markey spokesman Ben Marter said the congresswoman-elect isn't waiting for a concession call or any other outreach from Musgrave.

"The voters have spoken and it's customary to call your opponent to concede the race, but we're moving forward," Marter said. "Congresswoman-elect Markey is working very hard to go to Washington to represent the people of the 4th District."

Marjorie Dannenfelser, president of the Susan B. Anthony List, said she doesn't fault Musgrave if she is keeping out of public view.

"Frankly, everybody has a point where you can't take it anymore," she said. "I really don't' know. But given what was done to her, I wouldn't blame her one bit for taking a bit of a break .... She is a human being."

Musgrave had complained during the campaign about big spending by interest groups including the Defenders of Wildlife Action Fund, which she denounced as "environmental extremists."

Two political arms of the Defenders of Wildlife fund spent about $1.6 million targeting Musgrave, according to research by the Coloradoan. That was the second-largest independent expenditure by a nonparty group in any House race, after the $1.7 million spent by the National Association of Realtors Political Action Committee to help re-elect Pennsylvania Democrat Paul Kanjorski, according to the paper.

Musgrave had won re-election by narrow margins in 2004 and 2006. In 2006, she had the lowest winning percentage of anyone elected to the House.

Musgrave built a national reputation as an opponent of same-sex marriage, and she blamed her previous narrow margins in part on gay-rights groups, which she said spent large amounts of money on opposition political ads.