The Destructive Power of Negative Campaigning

By Councilman Adam Kwasman

We’ve all seen the grainy attack ads, anonymous mailers, and nasty tweets. They’re not just annoying—they’re toxic.

Negative campaigning doesn’t inform voters. It discourages them. It doesn’t lift ideas. It tears people down.

I’ve been the target of these attacks, and I’ve also regretted times I let the pressure of a campaign push me too far. It’s time to break the cycle.

At Democracy Arizona, we’re building a new campaigning culture that rewards honesty, civility, and solutions. We encourage candidates to sign our Positive Politics Pledge and commit to running clean campaigns.

Let’s stop rewarding the worst behavior and start expecting the best from our leaders.

• Adam