Joe Hubbard and state Rep. David Grimes, R-Montgomery, do not agree on much politically, but they do agree that the Republican primary race for the District 73 House seat was too negative.
Hubbard, who was unopposed in the June 1 Democratic primary, will face Grimes, the incumbent, in the November general election. The two signed a pledge Thursday at the State House that their campaigns will not take the same kind of negative turn.
Grimes narrowly defeated political newcomer Jeremy Walker, who ran a vigorous campaign to unseat him. Grimes and Walker made amends after the primary, and Walker has said he would support Grimes' campaign.
Hubbard said he observed the tone that the primary race took and wanted to avoid having that happen again. "The people of this community deserve better," he said.
Hubbard said he called Grimes earlier this week to talk about it and later visited Grimes at his house. Both candidates contributed to the contents of the pledge, which lists actions that each candidate vows either to engage in or to avoid.
It includes a vow to "condemn the use of any campaign material that misrepresents, distorts, or otherwise falsifies facts regarding my opponent, his political party, or any other elected official."
Much of the pledge focuses on attacks that include inaccurate information or "libel and slander" of one's opponent.
Hubbard said the signing of the pledge marked "an important day in the campaign" and that both campaigns should be able to present their plans for the district and stay away from personal attacks. "That is our responsibility -- to give people a real choice," Hubbard said.
Grimes said he was on board with the pledge from the beginning and that what transpired during the primary was "horrible." "We have got to get away from ruthlessness in politics," he said.
He added that not everything would be off-limits in the general election, however.
"I'll point out that he's a Democrat -- which he's proud of -- and I hope he points out that I'm a Republican," Grimes said.
--Scott Johnson
