Dayton candidates vow to avoid mudslinging after attack ads in prior election

Yahoo

19-06-2025

Jun. 17—Shenise Turner-Sloss, Darryl Fairchild and Jacob Davis recently signed a written pledge to run a "clean campaign" for the November election cycle that refrains from negative personal attacks and mudslinging. They challenged their opponents in the Dayton mayor and commission races to do the same.
Turner-Sloss and Fairchild were the subject of attack ad mailers from other Democrats when they ran for Dayton City Commission four years ago. They and some community members called the mailers racist and an attempt to use campaign dirty tricks.
This November, Commissioners Fairchild and Turner-Sloss are running as a team with Davis, against Darius Beckham, Karen Wick and incumbent Mayor Jeffrey Mims Jr., who are campaigning together. Fairchild, Davis, Beckham and Wick are running for two open city commission seats, while Turner-Sloss is trying to unseat Mayor Mims.
Turner-Sloss, Fairchild and Davis said they signed a clean campaign pledge last week where they vowed to refrain from personal attacks and divisive rhetoric.
The pledge also says they won't share false, misleading or unsubstantiated information about candidates, groups or community members, and that their campaigns will focus on issues and qualifications. The pledge says they will promote open, honest and issue-based debate, and they'll hold their supporters and campaign staff to these standards.
In a statement, Davis said "campaigns should be about ideas, solutions and vision," while Turner-Sloss said the city deserves leaders who focus on issues and not personal attacks.
Commissioner Fairchild said, "Dayton is stronger when our politics reflect our community values: respect, decency, and fairness. This pledge is a promise to lead by example."
The candidates urged their opponents to sign the pledge.
In response, Mims, Beckham and Wick issued a joint statement that says, "We're glad to see that all campaigns are committed to running on principles of honesty, respect, and integrity. That's what Daytonians deserve. We're not interested in political games, we're focused on doing the work. Our priority remains where it's always been: delivering real results, strengthening our neighborhoods, and providing the steady, experienced leadership Dayton needs."
When Turner-Sloss and Fairchild last ran for the Dayton City Commission in the fall of 2021, attack advertisements were mailed out to city voters that said the candidates "opposed measures to keep us safe from violent crime." One mailer claimed that Turner-Sloss could not be trusted because she was endorsed by the Dayton/Miami Valley Democratic Socialists of America. Fairchild and Turner-Sloss at the time said the mailers were dirty tricks and racist dog whistles.
The Montgomery County Democratic Party issued an apology to Fairchild and Turner-Sloss, and the Ohio Democratic Party chairwoman also said she apologized to the candidates. Montgomery County Democratic Party Executive Director Kurt Hatcher resigned in the wake of the controversy. All four candidates in the race were Democrats.