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Going Negative

Howard County Republicans had much to say during the last election for County Executive about what they perceived as negative campaign tactics from the Democrats. They were shocked, just shocked. Republican Allan Kittleman was touted as the Nice Guy candidate.

I guess they are done being shocked because this week they released a little video portraying County Councilman Calvin Ball as being, more or less, the Devil incarnate. (All that development you don't like? It’s all Dr. Ball’s fault, they say. All by his lonesome.)

Now Ball hasn’t even announced he is running for anything, so perhaps the Republicans can coyly say this isn’t negative campaigning. Then what is it? Character assassination? This move, clearly planned to appear during the same week that Dr. Ball is believed to be making his announcement to run against Allan Kittleman for County Executive, is the height of “negative campaigning.”

They may have been “just shocked” in the last election. Now they’ve come out slinging mud with no apologies. Feels hypocritical to me.


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