If both candidates had pristine reputations and equal leadership experience, would it be easy to make a distinction between them?

No, if both candidates has pristine reputations and equal leadership experience it would be hard to make a distinction between them.

Explanation:

Candidates need qualities that set them apart from the other, and have reasons for why people should want to vote for them for. Why are they the better person, ect.

the most ethic and honorable thing for the newspaper to do are:

be completely transparent in reporting about the company’s attempt to trade favors.

contact other construction companies to tell them about the situation.

these two options are the most ethic because both promote the market fair course, by telling the other competitors about the company attempt to get ahead in the market by trading favors, the market is guaranteed equality and justice in the trading of goods and services.