Sorting through the mud in mail trail

If you believe the mail in the 35th Senate District race, the two Republican candidates are hideous scoundrels who don’t deserve to take out their would-be constituents’ trash, let alone get their votes.

Dana Point City Councilwoman Diane Harkey and Huntington Beach Assemblyman Tom Harman will square off with Democrat Larry Caballero in a Tuesday special election to win the 35th District Senate seat, which represents Costa Mesa, Newport Beach and all or part of 13 other cities in Orange County.

The mailers have come thick and fast ? Harkey has sent 32 since announcing her candidacy in late October ? and many have been criticisms of the other GOP candidate.

This campaign hasn’t necessarily been the county’s worst, political observers said, and it’s not unusual because negative campaigning works.

“When you have such a short period of time before the election and both candidates have a fair amount of money, every day you’re getting things in the mail,” said Newport Beach Republican Dale Dykema. “Like advertising, the more often you hear something, the more often it sticks.”

To help voters get a little closer to the truth, here are a few of the charges Harkey and Harman have fired at each other, with their own explanations and comments from people not connected with the campaigns.