Martha Coakley unloaded a nasty ad last night full of dark, harsh tones, lies and subliminal images, including one distorted image of Rush Limbaugh with his hand up a ‘heil’ manner.

Brown fires back with a positive ad challenging Coakley’s camp. The difference between the two ads and the two candidates couldn’t be more stark. But will it work?

Brown could have ignored it. Brown could have hit back just as hard. Or Brown could have taken this middle ground. All three options bear risks and rewards. Brown chose to confront the negative attack ads and the lies, but he stays positive.

This is your money bomb money at work, fighting a nefarious Democratic machine attack ad.

What do you think:

I like the image of Coakley with Sal Dimasi, Democratic jail bird, and Deval Patrick, unpopular Democratic governor. He also frames the debate as a debate between independents verus the “machine”. I like the tactic. The machine up here is disgusting and even Democrats are sick of it.