WOODSTOCK– Democratic Party State’s Attorney candidate Thomas Cynor won a sad artifact of the 2008 presidential campaign at a hotly contested auction Wednesday night. He successfully bid on a matted and framed Barack Obama yard sign that had been vandalized.

“It is a symbol of the ugly turn the campaign has taken as it becomes apparent that change is coming,” Cynor said. “I treasure it as a reminder of our fight to overcome fear and hatred.”

The sign was one of three defaced at the same rural McHenry County home. The sign host’s home was also broken into and vandalized. The donor, the target of harassment, decided to anonymously donate the sign to the party as fund raiser.

Cynor has a particular interest in yard signs. His campaign bought 500 Obama signs and placed them around the county via an on-line registration hosted by his campaign web site, www.citizensforcynor.com. Volunteers hand delivered the signs, and signs for local Democratic Party candidates directly to the yards of those requesting them.

Nearly a half of all the Obama sign placements have been destroyed, vandalized, or stolen according to reports to Cynor’s campaign.

The auction was part of a pre-presidential debate rally featuring local candidates held at the Stage Left Café in Woodstock. 16th Congressional District Candidate Robert Abboud and State Representative Jack Franks; Cynor and Auditor Candidate Kerry Julian; and a parade of County Board candidates addressed a standing room only crowd.

The Presidential debates on a wide screen television capped the evening.