I've never, in my whole 30 years in office, run a negative ad.
I ran two campaigns for governor in a state that's 2-1 Democrat where I did not mention my opponent in print, radio, or television. I don't know if any other politician at a gubernatorial, congressional, or a senatorial level can make the claim.
Why should I ? I don't need to run down my opponent through filthy language in order to win. The voters don't expect this from their representatives.
It's not beneficial when you have a presidential candidate like Donald Trump, telling his supporters "punch that guy in the face." I think everyone candidate ought to aspire toward civility, towards decency, towards bringing us together. I don't think we should be using angry and hateful rhetoric.
The idea that someone, somewhere will campaign in a positive, uplifting way on an agenda that can inspire Americans? I'm sadly done holding my breath.
I don't believe in trashing my opponents. I've never run a negative ad in my life. I believe in talking about issues, sometimes fighting for the media to talk about the issues, but that's what I do, and the people will decide.
For me, campaigning and good business is also about putting forward solutions, not just opposing destructive practices or human rights abuses.
I'm not trying to get myself up a notch on the ladder by shoving somebody else down on the ladder, whether it's a candidate or the president of the United States or anybody else. I just don't believe that's the way one oughta campaign, I've never done that.
I have a tendency to campaign positively and campaign on issues, not try to tear someone else down.
My husband is absolutely opposed to any negative campaigning at all.
The Conservatives win when we have a positive message, an aspirational message.
Being the one person out there committed to not running negative ads - voters respond to that.
A lot of our Democratic consultants have fallen into the self-defeating prescription that the candidate that runs the most negative ads wins. I have a new theory: Positive is the new negative.
Sooner or later, people are going to figure out if all you run is negative attack ads you don’t have much of a vision for the future or you’re not ready to articulate it.
I'm going to try to give people someone to vote for instead of something to vote against.
