By ROBERT GIBSON, ChairIn these final days of the primary election campaign, Republican households have received mailed flyers attacking one of the GOP candidates for state representative in our district.
These mailings originated from a political action committee (PAC) outside Los Alamos with no connection to the opposing candidate and obviously no appreciation for our tradition of civil and respectful political discourse.
The same sort of PAC advertising on both sides marred the general election campaign for the same office two years ago.
Professional political operatives claim such negative advertising is effective. It probably is with some, but most Los Alamos voters are irritated rather than enlightened. It undermines and angers candidates trying to maintain a “high road.”
Strident advertising by outsiders promotes their agendas, not necessarily ours. I urge voters to instead pay attention to candidates’ character, experience, abilities, record, philosophy, and issue positions – in both the current primary and November general election.
