Both Tracy Mitrano, Democratic Party candidate for the 23rd Congressional District, and incumbent Rep. Tom Reed, R-Corning, bemoan the nastiness they are seeing during this campaign season.

Democrats have attacked the “extreme Ithaca liberal” label they say has been thrown around casually by the congressman’s campaign and actions by a campaign staffer named Nick Weinstein. Reed, meanwhile, says Weinstein has been treated harshly by some Mitrano campaign activists — Mitrano says they are not affiliated with her campaign — while trying to film some of Mitrano’s campaign rallies.

Enough. Mitrano told The Post-Journal last week she has sent the message through her campaign to halt the nastiness, including having a member of her staff warn activists who aren’t even affiliated with the campaign from making heated remarks against Reed. If he hasn’t already, Reed should do the same.

Politics can be messy, but this campaign needn’t be so, particularly this early. There are enough differences between the policies espoused by both Reed and Mitrano that both candidates and their supporters should be able to stick to the issues.