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Nova Scotia Liberals re-tweet picture of Darrell Dexter likened to fictional serial killer

Nova Scotia Liberals re-tweeted this photo of NDP leader Darrell Dexter, made to look like the fictional serial killer. (Image courtesy Twitter)

Typically, during election campaigns, every little action gets amplified and sometimes blown out of proportion.

It certainly looks like that's the case in the provincial election campaign currently taking place in Nova Scotia.

On Sunday, according to CBC News, Liberal staffer Stephen Moore tweeted this picture targeting NDP Premier Darrell Dexter.

The picture likens the premier to a fictional serial killer named Dexter Morgan - the title character of Showtime's hit TV show, Dexter.

"As a Miami forensics expert, he spends his days solving crimes, and nights committing them," notes Showtime's website.

[ Related: Nova Scotia election set for Oct. 8 ]

Liberal sources told CBC that they didn't design the picture but only re-tweeted it.

And if they did design it, what really is the harm?

While the blood splatter is a little much, they're not likening the premier to a real serial killer; they're not saying the premier is a serial killer.

But — it being election time — some, on Twitter have taken offence.

Does that really deserve an apology?

[ Related: Would Nova Scotia benefit from a fixed election date? ]

The election is expected to be a close one.

The latest poll, conducted by Corporate Research Associates, has Stephen McNeil's Liberals with 41 per cent support compared to Dexter's New Democrats at 31 per cent. The Tories — led by Jamie Baillie — are pegged at 25 per cent support.

The close race has some experts suggesting that this could be a nasty campaign.

"I think because there is not a huge ideological difference between the three parties the campaign will get pretty negative," Lori Turnbull, a political scientist at Dalhousie University, told the Canadian Press.

McNeil has already been the subject of several 'real' negative attack ads — produced by the NDP — painting him as inexperienced and gaffe prone.

Nova Scotians go to the polls on October 8.

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