The Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal Editorial, 9/8/8
The national political conventions are over and both presidential candidates have committed to ending the extreme partisanship of recent years.
But while the presidential campaign sets the tone, congressional candidates can’t be let off the hook. Last spring’s special election for the 1st District U.S. House seat was a textbook case of what people are sick of in politics. Nasty, personal campaigning impugning the integrity of the opposition dominated the race, in part because of the involvement of both national parties in the battle for an open seat.
The final leg of the special election campaign featuring Democrat Travis Childers of Booneville, who won and is now the incumbent congressman, and Republican Mayor Greg Davis of Southaven was the worst. Davis’ campaign was particularly guilty of attack ads and distortions way beyond the pale.
Having heard from the voters what they thought of it, Davis says he’s through with that kind of campaigning in his rematch with Childers for the full two-year House term. We hope and trust Davis will stick to that pledge, and that Childers, having no need to respond in kind, will also keep campaign exchanges and ads civil in tone.
Magnolia Tribune
