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OTTAWA — Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s former campaign manager says the governing Conservatives are falling short in their personal attacks on Liberal leader Justin Trudeau and will have to shift their emphasis to his policies.

In an interview with Postmedia News, Tom Flanagan spoke of how Trudeau has been seemingly untouchable since he won the party leadership nearly a year ago and of how Harper’s own reputation as a negative politician has only been further sealed in the public’s mind.

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“Justin has proved very hard to attack personally,” said Flanagan.

“The ‘in-over-his-head’ theme doesn’t seem to be having much of an impact with voters. It may some day, but thus far it doesn’t seem to have worked that much.”

He said the attacks — such as a Conservative TV ad last year questioning Trudeau’s personal capabilities — might have gone nowhere because of Harper’s own unpopularity.

“It’s difficult to attack somebody who is held in higher esteem than you are. Often, the attacks just fall harmlessly.”