Twenty years ago it wasn’t foolish to expect some measure of ordinary etiquette from political opponents. It was not conservatives who changed that.
I wouldn't expect it from my opponents today, but I would expect it of myself and those allied in my Conservative views. The whole idea of being a Conservative is to "conserve" what is good in our values and culture, not to go down the sewer with those who are trying to destroy them.
Personally, I would not degrade myself to employing the classless tactics of my enemies if it results in nothing greater than simply bringing me down to their level. Otherwise, we are really no better than they are.