Vintage Wyden Lawn Sign

I normally try to avoid lawn signs. They are bulky, many don't display well, and they take up a lot of limited storage space. Still, on occasion, someone will mention to me 'hey Carl, I've got this old sign do you want it?' and I will usually say yes just to see the sign.

Most of us know lawn signs as either these hard rigid plastic things that just have the name of the candidate on them. Or they are disposable plastic bag signs that you can toss in the recycle after the campaign. Lawn signs use to be a big deal. They were made locally out wood, particle wood or other tough materials. Often, they were hand painted. When a friend asked me if I wanted an old Ron Wyden lawn sign, I wasn't sure what I was getting. I was glad I said YES!

I got it, and it was an original Wyden for Congress lawn sign from the early 1980s. In amazing shape for a sign that was left outdoors in Oregon during the fall for campaign season. I carefully removed the wooden stake from the sign and held on to it for a few years.

This year, at a Ron Wyden town hall I took it in for Senator Wyden to sign. Now, I can bring it in the house!

You just never know what your friends will hold on to. Why was it important for someone to hold onto a lawn sign for 36 years? I have no idea. But I am sure glad they did.

Wyden won his first term in Congress in 1980 by challenging incumbent and fellow Democrat Bob Duncan in the primary. He beat Duncan and easily dispatched his Republican challenger that year. He would serve 7 terms in the U.S. House from Oregon's 3rd Congressional District.