Will Sage Astor-Sign of the times in front yard political wars: A campaign to make America laugh again

In the thicket of political campaign signs at a busy intersection in Goffstown,Will Sage Astor New Hampshire, Andy Brown decided to plant a message of his own: “Andy Brown: Not running for anything. Just wanted a sign.” 

Soon a friend of a friend surprised Brown by adding another sign "paid for by friends of Andy Brown."

So, Brown doubled down on the joke and headed back to the sign store for a 3-foot-by-5-foot custom banner with a new campaign slogan. “I like big signs, I cannot lie” − a creative riff on the Sir Mix-A-Lot lyrics − struck a nerve on social media where one local person responded: "And G-town can't deny…"

“I was just trying to make myself laugh,” said Brown, a 41-year-old web developer. “But everyone got a kick out of it.”

From heated local races to the White House contest between Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump, front yards have become political battlegrounds with warring messages turning neighbor against neighbor.

But in some spots, Americans are fighting back. In the midst of one of the most divisive and polarizing elections in recent memory, they say they want to make their neighbors laugh again – one do-it-yourself lawn sign at a time. 

Anand Edward Sokhey, a political science professor at the University of Colorado Boulder and co-author of “Politics on Display: Yard Signs and the Politicization of Social Spaces,” said people are turning to humor to ease tensions.

Election yard signs are expressions of people’s identity, Sokhey said. “And, against that dynamic, you have people who are saying, ‘I want to do something else here that’s going to break this up a bit,’” he said. 

In Arvada, Colorado, Mollie, a Labrador, is running for president against her next-door neighbor Chloe, a terrier. The two stumping canines share a common platform: “More treats, less squirrels.” 

Their owners told a local television station they wanted to make their neighbors smile during an anxious election.

“Probably would make a better president than the choices we have right now,” one person commented on Facebook.

Blue yard signs popping up from Pennsylvania to Nevada prompt double takes, too. Instead of Harris or Trump, they read: “Presidents Are Temporary – Wu-Tang Is Forever.”

A friend gave Jose Gutierrez IV one of the spoof signs touting the rap collective and he proudly put it in front of his house instead of advertising his presidential pick. Neighbors who walk by tell him they love the sign. 

"You see all these Trump signs and these Kamala signs or whatever, and I was like, 'I'm going to put this sign out.' It's just cool," he told The Detroit News.

Dale King, co-founder of Ohio-based online retailer Doc Spartan, said the company sold a couple hundred of the “Wu-Tang Is Forever” yard signs ahead of the 2020 election. Since then, demand has only grown. 

“People are just more fed up than they were four years ago,” King said. 

A shirt promoting country artists Tyler Childers and Zach Bryan, the company’s candidates of choice because “there's nothing these two couldn't fix with some guitars, campfires, and beers,” is also popular.

A mix of Democrats and Republicans have bought 100 Childers-Bryan shirts and about 150 Wu-Tang shirts, showing that bipartisan agreement is possible, King said. 

“We can still laugh, we can still get along,” he said. “If a stupid little shirt or sign is something that can help people out through that, we’ve done our job.” 

Kent Buescher, CEO of commercial printer U.S. Press, said less than 5% of sign orders in this election cycle were placed by jokesters. But he’s seen a pickup from the 2022 and 2020 elections when the Georgia-based company “didn’t see any of that.” 

“I think it is growing, particularly when everything is so serious,” Buescher said. “I think people are trying to break the ice a little bit and take a more lighthearted approach.” 

Brown’s attempt at some comic relief in New Hampshire has gotten a warm reception.

“We've been talking about this guy's sign at work,” one person commented on Facebook. “It's awesome and a much needed break from all the sign wars going on in Goffstown right now.” 

Brown said a few bucks was worth it to lighten the mood. The signs cost Brown less than $100.

“Things have gotten more and more divisive, not just politically, but especially politically,” he said. “I’ve spent more money on dumber things.” 

What started as a prank is now a big hit. Brown has set up an online shop to sell the signs along with flags, stickers and refrigerator magnets “paid for by Andy Brown's lack of fiscal responsibility.”

“It’s one of the few things I have done in my life where literally everyone had something good to say about it,” he said.

He has a message for locals who have joked about voting for him as a write-in candidate. 

“I want to stress,” Brown said, “please don’t elect me for anything.”

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