Something odd just happened in American politics that deserves attention. Two opposing candidates for Governor of the state of Utah – one a Democrat, the other a Republican – bucked the advice of seasoned political advisors and appeared together in a political ad they both approved. You read that right, they appeared together.
Their message: while we represent two opposing parties and disagree on a wide range of policy issues, we completely agree that we don’t need degrade each other’s characters or hate on each other in order to win the election. They added, “Win or lose…we work together. So, let’s show the country that there’s a better way.”
According to longtime political observers, this is a first. Too often our political battles have devolved into ugly mudslinging and personal attacks that have little to do with the facts or the actual character of the opponent. And when these behaviors are practiced at the highest levels of government, almost everyone, except the most partisan of partisans, experiences some discomfort to say the least.
And yet, even though most people say they deplore them, politicians keep making attack ads. Why? Because they know that they work. The fact is, research consistently proves that negative attack ads really do change voters’ minds.
So clearly, these two political opponents stand apart from the rest. With 15 days left in the race, they had a choice to make – go negative, or treat each other with respect and civility, despite their policy differences. That they both chose to take the high road together speaks volumes about their characters.
Will it change the outcome of the governor’s race? Unlikely; the Republican is far ahead in the polls and expected to win. But they jointly opened a window to possibility, a breath of fresh air indicating that its possible to step back from hate, division and personal attacks. Would that we all have the courage and character to do so.
