Wingnut vandals have been on a rampage here in recent days. This incident happened a few blocks from my house.

Political signs vandalized by racial slurs have turned a fierce competition of politics into a matter of racism, according to local Democrats.

Lubbock Democratic Party Chair Kenny Ketner received a phone call around 1:30 a.m. Sunday, stating political signs off 26th Street and University Avenue had been stolen and vandalized.

“There have been problems before but it’s gotten really out of hand,” Ketner said. “The quantity of signs vandalized and stolen is already out of control, and now the type of vandalism has crossed a hateful line.”

Two of the larger signs were vandalized with the n-word written multiple times on the signs along with mustard spread across them as well. …

Ketner has been involved with politics in Lubbock since 2004 and says he’s never seen anything get this bad.

Hundreds of signs have been stolen and vandalized across Lubbock but this most recent occurrence is a problem area Ketner said.

“Over half a dozen of the larger signs have been stolen, vandalized or shot,” he said. “And as of about 1 a.m. this morning we can add hate to the list.”

Ketner says it took Lubbock police three hours to respond to the call of the vandalized signs early Sunday morning.

“I want to encourage the Lubbock Police Department not to dismiss these reports or delay in the response to the reports,” said Ketner. “Waiting hours on a police officer who may or may not show up and may or may not take the problem seriously in unacceptable.”

Even though signs have been vandalized, Democrats will continue to put out signs, he said.

Out of the 1, 500 signs they have, 1,100 have been distributed. The most recent acts of vadalism have been on 26th Street and University Avenue and 59th Street and Quaker Ketner said.

“We have been and will continue to replace these signs and we will not be silenced,” said Ketner.