Attack ads by third-party groups muddy the political waters and can add to negative perceptions the public has of politicians, said Stephen Farnsworth, a political science professor at University of Mary Washington in Fredericksburg, Va.
“The more the candidates themselves can shape the debate, the more effectively the voters can evaluate their choices,” Farnsworth said. “If a candidate attacks another candidate, the voters can punish the candidate who put out the ads. … When it’s a third-party voice, you can’t really do that.”
