Question

Candidates often express regret after they air negative campaign ads. Further, in an election with two candidates, both generally would be happier if neither had run negative ads as opposed to both running them. Why, then, do strategic candidates air negative ads?

Answer 1

The incentives favor running negative commercials regardless of what the other candidate does because if only one candidate runs negative ads, that candidate will have an electoral advantage

Step-by-step explanation:

Strategic candidates air negative ads because the incentives favor running negative commercials regardless of what the other candidate does because if only one candidate runs negative ads, that candidate will have an electoral advantage over the other candidate which is why the two candidate will both would be happier if neither of them had run negative ads as opposed to both of them or one of them running the negative campaign ads.