Is a candidate defined by her or his supporters? [View all]

[Nuclear Unicorn]

Or can their message be separated out?

I would tend to think that if the supporters are angry, vitriolic and grasping for every despicable rumor to float down the pike to hang around the neck of the opposition, perhaps the candidate is drawing the wrong sort of supporters.

Of course there is the age-old "guilt by association" fallacy.

Do we judge a candidate on their own merits or do their supporters factor in?