EDITOR'S NOTE: This is another periodic look at happenings in the governor's race.

Does anyone believe campaign ads?

In a time when views on both sides are seemingly impenetrable, a 30 or 60-second TV spot is unlikely to change minds.

No matter, the candidates care - especially if they claim their opponent is lying. That is something, not surprisingly, that we are now seeing.

Let's start with an ad on behalf of Mikie Sherrill's campaign accusing Jack Ciattarelli of talking about a 10 percent sales tax. It is now 6.625 percent.

This is a pretty serious charge - a candidate in New Jersey, where taxes already are high, talking about maybe raising them even more.

The foundation for all this are comments Ciattarelli made at a rally.

The subject was Tennessee and the GOP candidate mentioned that the state has no income tax. But it does have a 10 percent sales tax.

Ciattarelli, who is an accountant, said he wants to look at what other states do when it comes to New Jersey's tax structure.

Now, one can draw from this that a "Gov. Ciattarelli" will look at all options - including states that have high sales taxes, but no income taxes.

But he never specifically said he wanted to incThe rease the sales tax in New Jersey. What he did say was that he wanted to "simplify" the state's income tax brackets, which run from 1.4 to 10.75 percent.

Team Jack says on social media that Sherrill is "lying" and running a "desperate, dishonest campaign."

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Now, we must look at the other side of the coin.

An ad supporting Ciattarelli now running shows Sherrill talking about clean energy and how it may cost you "an arm and a leg." She adds, "But if you're a good person, you'll do it."

This suggests that Sherrill is somewhat ambivalent about higher energy costs, because "good" people won't care.

Like the previous ad, this is a serious charge in a state coping with rising energy costs.

But the charge is not true.

In the relevant interview, Sherrill is actually criticizing what she says has been the Democratic Party's message on clean energy. That being it will be more expensive, but so be it.

A recent statement from her campaign about the interview says:

"She goes on to argue that New Jersey has been 'sleeping on solar,' and not investing enough in clean energy that could lower utility costs in the way other states, like Texas, are.
Now that we’re actually in that place that we promised, it was going to be cheaper than any other source of power, people are skeptical,” she said. “So I have to tell people in New Jersey like, look, Texas is leading in solar, and everybody in New Jersey sort of feels like, if Texas is doing it, they’re not doing it because it’s just clean. It’s got to be economical, right?”

Team Mikie calls the ad by the Republican Governors Association a "deceptively edited clip” that “leaves out the point of her observation.”

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Along with over-the-top accusations, we have another poll to look at. - this one by Quinnipiac. It gives Sherrill a lead of 8 points.

There have now been six recent polls on the race - excluding the off-base Eagleton poll a few months ago that gave Sherrill about a 20 point lead.

Most of them have been fairly consistent with Sherrill leading by 6 to 10 points.

But here's what may be an interesting tidbit from the latest poll - Donald Trump's approval rating in the state is 41 percent.

So you can expect Sherrill to continue running against Trump in addition to the man he endorsed a few months ago - Ciattarelli.