They're relentless, repetitive, and often nasty. Not the presidential candidates, per se, but their TV ads. They can often start as early as 18 months before Election Day in closely contested primary states, and run continuously until Election Day in battleground states. But, do they work?

Competing studies differ on whether the ads are effective. Some studies say they keep the hardcore party base voters enthused and energized, while other studies show hard attack ads can create resentment among voters and backfire on the candidate who runs them.

Either way, candidates will spend over $6 billion in campaign ads in the 2016 election cycle... playing them over, and over, and over again.

Thankfully, many of our DVRs come with skip buttons, and there is always the mute button. And after today, the ads will all come to an end... until municipal elections in the spring.

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