Attack Ads Continue As Election Day Nears
BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- Campaign 2014 picks up steam as Maryland's candidates for governor step up the attack in television ad campaigns.
Political reporter Pat Warren looks at what those ads are telling voters.
Each campaign is pressing issues it believes makes the other guy look bad.
Election day gets closer and the fingers get pointier.
"Larry Hogan: the wrong direction for Maryland," one ad says.
"Anthony Brown: just not ready to be governor," says another.
Most voters will see more of the candidates in ads than in person and each candidate is promoting his own platform.
"We're about jobs, middle class families and restoring our economy," said an ad for Larry Hogan.
"Anthony Brown supports universal pre-K for every child to put them on the right track at the start," said a Brown ad.
Both candidates are also on the attack.
"Attack ads we know three or four things about. One of them is they work, which is why candidates and their campaigns use them," said UMBC Public Policy Chairman Don Norris.
A Hogan ad uses the healthcare rollout to discredit Brown's leadership.
"Families unable to get health insurance," the ad said.
A Brown ad accuses Hogan of putting corporations before kids.
"Instead, Hogan would spend twice as much on huge corporate giveaways," the ad said.
It's hard to say what influence these ads might have on votes, which is why turnout is still the top campaign priority.
"I know that both camps are trying to get as much turnout as they can. Whether they're going to be successful or not, I don't know," Norris said.
A couple of other things about attack ads, according to Norris, is that they tend to be less effective if both candidates are suing them because they muddy the waters. Also, voters don't like them.
If you haven't registered to vote, you have until October 14. The election is November 4.
Other Local News:
