Of course, it does. But they wouldn't sling the slime if it didn't work.
In fact, "tiresome" is part of the strategy's objective. When political races get "tiresome" and people are being turned off, only the committed come out to vote. Negative campaigning is designed to suppress the other side's turnout of "leaners".
That said, mud begets mud. It's been long time since the Democrats were even remotely civil. I can't blame a Republican for responding in kind.
I hate to say it, but if someone didn't dig this stuff out we'd have a lot more sick people making important decisions for us in congress. The GOP has sat on things for generations that should have come out, while the DEMS has come up with stuff when there wasn't even anything there -- like the 11th hour Bush drunk driving....