Tucson campaign signs for Republican Daniel Butierez have been repeatedly defaced, some with his face cut out and threats written across them, raising alarms after last week’s political assassination.

Charlie Kirk, a conservative commentator and campus speaker, was fatally shot during a speaking event at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah, on Wednesday, Sept. 10.

The vandalism incidents underscore rising tensions in local and national politics as both major-party candidates ramp up their campaigns following the death of Democratic Congressman Raúl Grijalva.

Butierez is facing Grijalva’s daughter, former Pima County supervisor and Tucson Unified School District governing board member Adelita Grijalva, in the Sept. 23 general election.

Campaign finance reports show Butierez’s campaign has spent $23,843.94 on signage since the end of June, nearly 30% of the campaign’s total expenditures, according to the Federal Election Commission.

Paula Butierez, Daniel Butierez’s wife and campaign finance manager, told Tucson Spotlight that it’s typical for a certain number of signs to be declared “irrecoverable” when collected at the end of a campaign, usually due to weather or wild animals.

But this election cycle, a large number of the campaign’s smaller signs have been stolen, Paula Butierez said.

“This election, we’ve probably lost I’d say at least 60, 70,” she said. “We’ve had thousands and thousands of dollars of signs stolen.”

A significant number of the campaign’s larger signs have also been tagged or damaged.

“It has happened in repeat locations on Silverbell, in front of (Pima Animal Care Center). We’ve replaced that one three times,” Paula Butierez said. “It’s happening every day.”

While no suspects have been identified, the Butierez campaign shared a video of a masked individual tagging a sign with a marker.

“We reached out to the police,” Paula Butierez said.

In Arizona, it’s a Class 2 misdemeanor to knowingly remove, alter, deface or cover any political campaign sign.

“None were destroyed in Nogales,” Daniel Butierez said.

Defacing and altering political signs in Tucson has been a longstanding issue.

Janet Wittenbraker, a Republican running for the Tucson City Council’s Ward 3 seat, has also had her signs repeatedly defaced during this year’s election cycle, including the recent appearance of a red sticker that reads, "Make Assassinations Great Again."

The special election for District 7 comes after Raúl Grijalva’s death earlier this year. The district includes the cities of Tucson, Nogales, Bisbee, Ajo and Yuma, among others.

Adelita Grijalva is seeking to take her father’s place. Her campaign website says she will focus on opposing political corruption, defending public programs such as Social Security and promoting affordable housing.

She’s been endorsed by 28 nongovernmental organizations and at least 15 labor unions or groups.

Butierez is making a second run, after losing to Raúl Grijalva in the general election last year. His campaign website says he’ll represent interests including criminal justice reform, the economy and addressing the unhoused population.

He’s been endorsed by several past and current local officials and a handful of conservative assemblies.

Butierez’s call for criminal justice reform is driven by what he calls a wrongful conviction that landed him in prison for 10 years. He’s said he was not given a fair trial, was never charged with a crime and was denied his right to due process.

A judge ruled in his favor and dismissed his criminal case on the grounds of a wrongful conviction, though his other claims have yet to be proven.

Quentin Agnello is a journalism major at the University of Arizona and Tucson Spotlight intern. Contact him at qagnello@arizona.edu.

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