Virginia voters may find the campaign tactics of U.S. Sen. Charles Robb (D) and Republican challenger and former Gov. George Allen "negative and "discouraging," but they also consider the Senate race "fair" and "informative."
This seemingly contradictory statement is the result of a survey released Wednesday by the Sorensen Institute for Political Leadership at the University.
The survey, conducted during the first two weeks of October, reported that more than 55 percent of the 549 Virginia residents questioned think the Senate campaign has taken on a negative tone. This is an increase from the same group's response in early September, when only 31 percent called the campaign's tone "negative."
But the public also does not find negative campaigning unfair.
Fifty-three percent of the respondents said Robb has run a fair campaign so far, and 47 percent say Allen's campaign also has been fair.
Most of the respondents' impressions of the campaigns come from TV ads run by the candidates, their campaigns or special interests groups.
"Most people don't meet the candidates or attend their speeches or rallies," said Dale Lawton, director of the Project on Campaign Conduct.
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The survey shows voters think "it's okay to attack opponents' records" in television ads, but there also is a downside, Lawton said. "It may give people a lower opinion of the process."
While 45.4 percent of respondents said they found the campaign discouraging, 31.3 percent thought it was encouraging.
But respondents also found the Senate campaign "informative." About 45 percent said the campaign had been mostly informative over the past two weeks, while only 26.2 percent said the same a month earlier.
More people were able to identify both Robb and Allen as the candidates for the Virginia Senate seat than in early September.
Government Prof. Paul Freedman, research director of the project that conducted the survey, said the increased knowledge about the campaign is mostly because of television advertisements.
Voters are able to distinguish between "fair" and "unfair" negative campaign ads, Freedman said.
Bill Wood, executive director of the Sorensen Institute, agreed, saying voters expect candidates to attack their opponents' records but do not condone ads which make personal and unproven charges against opponents.
"Robb has a history that can be attacked on a personal basis, but Allen hasn't done that," Wood said.
But Allen's narrowing lead in the polls could mean the campaign will get uglier as Election Day approaches, said Larry J. Sabato, government and foreign affairs professor.
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