As an unaffiliated voter in the 4th Congressional District, I was dismayed to read of Rep. Mia Love’s decision to go negative so early, or at any time for that matter, in her campaign vs. Salt Lake County Mayor Ben McAdams. The strategy of negatively linking a candidate with a national figure can go both ways. The consequential clutter is worse than the myriad of campaign signs littering our neighborhoods and streets. Could we please go back to telling the voters why we should elect you and not why we should vote against an opponent?
Gov. Gary Herbert serves as an excellent example of how to avoid a negative campaign. In his three gubernatorial campaigns, Gov. Herbert did not resort to mud-slinging. He touted his success as governor and his plans on how to run the state.
Voter fatigue is real and draining on our citizenry. I, for one, will look hard and long before supporting and voting for any candidate that takes the easy but destructive path of negative campaigns. It is a more honorable, albeit more difficult, path to campaign on one’s own merits. The people of Utah deserve, at a minimum, that in their elected officials.
Max Chang, Millcreek