A campaign sign with the statement “Make America White Again” has been taken down in Polk County.
The sign located off of U.S. Route 411 near Benton was taken down less than 12 hours after it was put up.
Rick Tyler posted the sign, and is running as an independent candidate for Tennessee’s third congressional seat district seat. U.S. Rep. Chuck Fleischmann, R-Chattanooga, is the incumbent congressman in the seat.
Tyler also posted a second sign on U.S. Route 64 with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s famous "I Have a Dream" quote written over a White House surrounded by Confederate Flags.
The owner of the billboard did not confirm if or why his company removed the signage to WRCB. Tyler wants the signs put back up.
"There's no room for this type of hateful display in our political discourse,” said Tennessee GOP chairman Ryan Haynes in a statement. “Racism should be rejected in all its heinous forms in the Third Congressional District and around the country."
Fleischmann also released a statement.
“I totally and unequivocally condemn the billboard and Mr. Tyler’s message and will vigorously fight any form of racism in the 3rd district of Tennessee or anywhere else in the nation,” Fleischmann said.
Fleischmann is facing Allan Levene and Geoffery Suhmer Smith for the GOP nomination.
Michael Friedman, George Ryan Love and Melody Shekari are vying for the Democratic nomination.
Tyler is running as an independent candidate along with Topher Kersting and Cassandra Mitchell.
Voters will head to the polls for Tennessee's primary elections on Aug. 4.
The general election is on Nov. 8.
