I have some good news and some bad news.

The good news is;

the level of the political discourse in New Mexico over
the election of our next governor is not going to decline.

The bad news is,

the level of discourse is not going decline because,
apparently we are going to start at the very bottom. link.

I'm not sure what we can do to raise the level of the discourse
to legitimate issues of content and character, but I do know,
it is important that we do.

There are important decisions to be made in critical times.
We need to make those decisions based on facts.
We need to hear from everybody with something to say.
We need to not drive off diverse opinions with personal abuse.

Martin Luther King expressed the need for a time when
people are judged by the content of their character (and the
power of their argument).

We need to not let this election to be about who can buy the
most negative advertising. We deserve better. We owe better
to everyone whose sacrifice paid for government of the people,
for the people, and by the people. This is not what they would
want their sacrifices to have bought.

The only answer I can see is self discipline and some genuine
respect for the process.

The longer we take, the harder it will become.
At some point, it will actually be too late.

In boxing, you lose points for hitting below the belt.
If it worked the same way in elections,
we would be the better for it.