They say in Washington that national politics is a blood sport.Apparently, Mississippi politics has now dropped to that level.Voters have become accustomed to ever-increasing mudslinging in thefinal weeks of an election, but the events of the past week havecrossed the sleaze line to a new level of low.

Democratic Lt. Governor candidate Sen. Barbara Blackmon took usto the slimiest of muck Monday when she called for her Republicanopponent, incumbent Lt. Governor Amy Tuck, to join her in signingan affidavit saying neither woman had had an abortion.

The innuendo is clear, and so is the scorch-and-burn strategy ofthe Blackmon campaign that apparently has begun. In response, onFriday Lt. Governor Tuck agreed to sign the pledge.

Abortion is an emotional issue in Mississippi. It is also aconvenient hot-button issue candidates can use to hide behind whenthey want to duck other important issues.

We would hope this historic race — the first time two womenhave vied for the same statewide seat — would be more of anabove-board campaign; one that refrained from the down and dirty.With the Lt. Governor’s post being such an important leadershipposition for the state, one would think that we could expectbetter.

The Blackmon campaign should be ashamed of its tactics.