'We can debate without degrading each other': Republican and Democrat candidates' joint ad goes viral

Opposing candidates cited declining political dialogue as reason to call for civility and respect

An advert in which a Republican and Democrat candidate together call on voters to be decent and civil has been praised, amid concerns about rising political and social divisions in the US. 

The opposing candidates in Utah's gubernatorial race, Republican Spencer Cox and Democrat Chris Peterson, both appear in the commercial released on Tuesday.

"We can debate issues without degrading each other's character," Mr Peterson says in the ad, which soon went viral online.

"Our common values transcend our political differences and the strength of our nation rests on our ability to see that," he says in a second advert.

Mr Cox wrote on Twitter that Utah could set an “example” to the nation, with less than two weeks until the 3 November election.

The Republican, who tweeted with ‘#standunited’ as he shared the commercial, said "I'm not sure this has ever been done before,”

“But as our national political dialogue continues to decline, my opponent and I decided to try something different," he continued. "No matter who wins the presidential election, we must all commit to a peaceful transfer of power and working together.”

Mr Cox’s comments came in apparent contrast with President Donald Trump, who said last month that he would not commit to a peaceful transfer of power, should Joe Biden win. 

Whilst Mr Trump trails his Democratic opponent, Mr Biden, in national opinion polls, Mr Cox has more than a 20-point lead over his Democratic opponent, Mr Peterson, in Utah’s gubernatorial race, according to the Deseret News-Hinckley Institute of Politics.  

Utah has not elected a Democratic governor since 1985.