WITH FRIENDS LIKE THESE …

Political parties and others commonly accept the job of running negative campaign advertising so their favored candidate can remain positive and seemingly flaw-free while the opponent gets thumped. The worst of these ads generally appear in October, when most voters are thoroughly tired of all the candidates and are receptive to the suggestion that one is a bit more awful than the others.

The friends of the candidates in Maine’s Senate race this year started early and their timing has been impeccable. In the most recent example, just as Sen. Susan Collins and her challenger, former state Sen. Chellie Pingree, were arranging to sign the Maine Code of Election Ethics, two television commercials – one from each political party – were bashing their opposition.

An ad by the Maine Democratic Party implies Sen. Collins voted for a prescription drug bill because drug lobbyists told her to. This turns out to be false – the major pharmaceutical lobby, Phrma, says it took no position on the bill in question and senators from both parties say individual drug companies urged them to oppose the bill. The Maine Republican Party rebuttal ad referred to former state Sen. Pingree as desperate and included pictures of her colored in unelectable tints of blue, green and red.

Before the political parties take that next half step down to making unkind comments about the candidates’ mothers, they should recall that election code. It says, in part, “I shall not use or agree to let third parties use subtle deceptions, half-truths, falsifications, or such practices as push polling. If such practices are used by third parties without my approval, I shall repudiate them immediately and publicly upon my knowledge of their occurrence.”

It’s too late for immediate repudiation, but it isn’t too late for the candidates to tell their friends in their political parties and in various interest groups to back off or, better, bow out. Both candidates have raised enough money and both are easily able to express why they are running for office. They do not need the burden of others directing the tone of this race and they should be blunt in saying so.

This is not simply a request for improved behavior. Friends of Ms. Pingree came out aggressively when this campaign began and have continued to distort Sen. Collins’ record. Friends of Sen. Collins – with their candidate’s 25- or 30-point lead – could afford to say less but nevertheless have responded with personal swipes at the former state senator. The point is not whether the two sides are attacking each other in the same manner or with the same enthusiasm; both are pushing their respective candidates toward violating the ethics code.

Maine has two strong candidates running for the Senate. Both have a lot to say on issues that interest Maine voters. But their messages are being buried under needlessly nasty advertising. The candidates can put an end to it if they choose. Doing so would demonstrate the sort of leadership Maine needs in Congress.