Campaigners pulling together a strategy for the upcoming stadium election suddenly confronted a new dilemma this week: Monday’s brawl among some of the Jackson County legislators who put the billion-dollar deal on the ballot.

Publicly, stadium overhaul supporters say the slugfest and arrest of Legislator Bob Stringfield will have no effect. Privately, they are concerned — particularly about women voters’ reactions.

And local and national damage control experts say there is reason to fear.

“Right now it is just distracting people and gives their opponents ammunition,” said communication consultant John Landsberg, a Leawood resident.

Still, the situation can be salvaged, Landsberg and other experts agree.

They say several steps should be taken but that the first — and biggest — is for unified legislators to issue a contrite apology to the public. And they say it doesn’t matter who swung first.

But that does matter to some county legislators — and it doesn’t appear a unified apology is likely any time soon.

Experts say failing to apologize will exacerbate an embarrassing situation.

Christopher Bonner, president of Virginia-based Bonner Consultants, compared the situation with last season’s NBA brawl between the Pacers and the Pistons. The NBA moved quickly to impose suspensions and repair its image, he said.

“The county government has got to show it takes this episode seriously,” said Bonner, who has represented national corporations in damage-control situations.

It doesn’t matter if legislators blame the devil or say they were a victim of their passions, he said. They don’t even have to apologize to each other, but all legislators need to profess their chagrin, he said.

“I am perfectly comfortable with them disliking each other forever,” Bonner said. “Collectively, they have to say, ‘We’re sorry. Let’s get on with life.’ But the finger-pointing and name-calling isn’t going to serve anyone. What it is going to do is plant more doubt in the minds of innocent voters.”

Pasquale Trozzolo, president and chief executive of Trozzolo Communications Group, said the brawl had a “virallike firepower” that will keep it in the media and public chatter unless the legislators head it off.

“Whether you are the hitter or the hittee, an apology is required,” said Trozzolo, a Kansas City resident. “Until that happens, it will not go away. Accept responsibility, apologize for the actions. And taxpayers have a right to know why it won’t happen again.”

David Westbrook, Corporate Communications Group president, said the apology must be authentic and with a touch of whimsy.

“The folks involved in this skirmish need to demonstrate their humanity by changing the picture of having their constituents laugh at them to one of them having their constituents laugh with them,” said Westbrook, of Kansas City. “I don’t think legislators want the public to feel bitter toward them on the eve of a very important election.”

Landsberg, a principal of Bottom Line Communications, said the fight affected confidence in Jackson County.

County legislators have been negotiating with Chiefs owner Lamar Hunt and Royals owner David Glass, “some of the sharpest business people in the country, and they are punching each other,” Landsberg said. “That doesn’t go over well with the public.”

Earlier this week, county Legislature Chairman Henry Rizzo said Stringfield and Dan Tarwater, the principals in the fight, should apologize to county residents at Monday’s meeting.

Rizzo immediately received chiding telephone calls from other legislators who believe Stringfield is the only one who needs to apologize. Tarwater said in a statement: “I have no apology to make in this matter. I was attacked by Mr. Stringfield and remain the victim.”

Stringfield denies he swung the first punch, saying he was knocked into Tarwater. He has been quoted as saying he expects to be blamed if the April 4 stadium vote fails.

An aide to Stringfield, John Pennell, said Wednesday that he was suggesting his boss seek charges against Tarwater and look at other possible actions.

“They need to know they are not in control of this. The taxpayers are,” Pennell said. “I can throw a monkey wrench in the stadium issue. … When you get into a fight, everybody gets bruises.”

So what if legislators don’t publicly kiss and make up?

“To not apologize would be the kiss of death,” Bonner said.

Already this week, election opponents chortled over the brawl as “manna from heaven.”

But stadium overhaul supporters aren’t conceding that publicly. They contend that voters will differentiate between a heated argument that went too far and the important issues surrounding the $575 million overhaul of Arrowhead and Kauffman stadiums.

“I don’t think voters in the end are going to factor it in,” said media consultant Pat Gray, who is leading the marketing campaign in support of the stadium overhaul. But he did say he would “really be happy” with apologies.

Jackson County Executive Katheryn Shields, who found a mediator to do conflict resolution for legislators, said she doubted apologies or mediation would occur. She says the ramifications will come not on the April ballot but later in the year.

“I think this has much more damage in the August election and the (two) individuals running for re-election,” she said. “I don’t think apologies have to happen for us to have a successful election in April. I wish it would happen. … I am just hopeful things will calm down.”

Part of the problem for Jackson County, said consultant Bonner, is there has been no “white knight” who has risen above the fray to appeal to voters. In other settings, Bonner said, he traditionally looks for “a good guy” who wasn’t involved in the problem to step in, restore order and recapture public confidence.

If no apologies are forthcoming, Bonner and Westbrook said, then election supporters should make their case full bore for the stadium overhaul and drown out the aftermath of the altercation.

“It is incumbent on other leaders to demonstrate a unity of purpose,” Westbrook said. “So that the personality conflict becomes isolated and others (on the Legislature) rise to demonstrate a more respectful, a more genuine regard for their colleagues and constituents.”

Ultimately, an apology is a no-brainer, and legislators should know voters won’t forget and forgive without one, Trozzolo said.

“I don’t think it is too much to ask that elected officials not hit each other,” he said. “Punching and getting into a fistfight — especially when there are hundreds of millions of dollars at stake — is not acceptable behavior.”