If you've made the mistake of tuning into any location television stations in the past month or so, you've seen a gubernatorial race getting nastier and nastier. Both candidates--Acting Governor A. Paul Cellucci and Attorney General L. Scott Harshbarger '64--have saturated the airwaves with negative campaign ads and spent the majority of their time in debates attacking one another instead of discussing the issues.

One of Cellucci's latest ads, which ridicules Harshbarger for defending the civil rights of practicing witches in Salem, Mass., and not putting up Christmas decorations in his office, exemplifies how this campaign has deteriorated.

It didn't have to be this ugly. After the primary, Harshbarger invited Cellucci to join him in avoiding negative advertising in order to focus on the issues. Cellucci refused to make such a promise, and the voters are now suffering the consequences. Cellucci's consistent misrepresentation of Harshbarger's record as attorney general, coupled with Harshbarger's mean-spirited attacks on Cellucci's personal debt, have prevented discussion of matters important to Massachusetts voters.

In the debates, neither candidate has moved far beyond a "did-not, did-too" style, even though both men are articulate speakers with a great deal to talk about. Most importantly, there has been no substantive discussion on education. In the midst of sweeping reform being addressed by the state Board of Education, there should be more informed debate on teacher testing and less bickering.

Additionally, Cellucci's repeated attempts to have Harshbarger take a "no new taxes" pledge is a poor political ploy to paint the Democrat as a tax-and-spend liberal, while Harshbarger has rightly pointed out that the pledge limits the power and flexibility of the governor's office.

There are just 15 days until the general elections. Is it too much to ask that the gubernatorial candidates stop slinging mud and start talking policy? We hope not.