It’s not unheard of for political yard signs to be stolen during election season, but what’s more rare is purposeful vandalism and alteration to the signs.
That’s what’s happened in Laramie, where Republican state Senate candidate Gary Crum said 16 of his political signs were marred with vulgar changes.
The alterations included painting over a letter in his first and last name so that the signs read “C UM Wyoming Senate” and “GA Y C UM Wyoming Senate.”
Crum said the defacing of the signs goes far past simple vandalism. Some of the signs were located in close proximity to an elementary school.
“It’s disgusting,” Crum said.
Crum said it will cost him thousands of dollars to replace the signs. He said the Laramie Police Department is actively investigating the case.
Crum made it clear he does not suspect his Democratic opponent Mike Selmer is connected to the crime. He said he’s heard from both Republicans and Democrats expressing outrage about the crime.
Selmer told Cowboy State Daily he had no knowledge of who might have committed the acts.
“I’m appalled by that act of vandalism,” Selmer said. “It’s uncalled for.”
Selmer wondered whether a supporter of the Wyoming Freedom Caucus committed the act. Crum is more politically aligned with the Wyoming Caucus, a political group that opposes many of the positions of the further-right Freedom Caucus.
“I wouldn’t be surprised if people associated with that group are associated with this crime,” Selmer said.
He noted that the culprit or culprits had to pick out the exact same shade of blue to match the background in Crum’s signs to cover up the letters. Damaging more than a dozen signs, also takes some serious effort likely beyond one night’s drunken escapade.
“I don’t think this is just teenagers goofing around,” Selmer said. “This was intent. It was planned and intentional.”
Rep. Rachel Rodriguez-Williams, R-Cody, Freedom Caucus chair, said she's offended by the insinuation.
"It's laughable to slanderously place blame for this act of vandalism with the strongest defenders of private property rights in the Wyoming Legislature," she said. "Conservatives don't vandalize signs or condone vandalism. It's not civil to castigate a majority of the state for something that occurred in Laramie — a town known for liberalism."
The Wyoming Republican Party, which supports the Freedom Caucus, expressed sympathy for Crum. State party leaders, however, have made him the only Laramie Republican candidate it would not be giving money to for the November election.
(Cowboy State Daily Staff) 
(Cowboy State Daily Staff) 
(Cowboy State Daily Staff)
Motivation
Crum said the vandalism represents the very reason he’s running for the Wyoming Legislature.
“This is exactly why I’m running, to bring civility back to the process,” he said.
When the new signs come in the mail, Crum said he plans to personally deliver them to his supporters who had theirs ruined.
“My whole campaign is built on civility,” he said. “I’m trying to bring common sense to the legislative process.
Leo Wolfson can be reached at leo@cowboystatedaily.com.
