AUSTIN (KXAN) – Downtown for a GOP event on Fat Tuesday, Ryan Downton – a Republican running in Texas House District 47 – parked his unmistakable campaign vehicle and left it overnight near Third Street and Guadalupe Street.

“Never thought it would be a problem to park a car in Downtown Austin,” Downton said of the vehicle wrapped in GOP and Downton campaign symbols, including a giant photo of the candidate himself. “Normally, Travis County prides itself in being open to all ideas.”

He and his wife took a cab home from Mardi Gras celebrating that night. Police called the next morning to tell him about the political profanity vandals left behind.

“They took my face and scribbled on it,” he said. “They put horns on my head and fangs in my mouth. They wrote some derogatory, sexual comments about my wife. They put pornographic images on it.”

Whether it was because of his candidacy or his political party, Downton feels like his car was targeted, because it was the only one out of hundreds of cars in downtown that had any vandalism.

“That’s the way the game’s played now,” said Democratic strategist Jeff Crosby.

Crosby has worked with many candidates over the years and said this stuff unfortunately comes with the territory.

“People set fire to your signs,” Crosby said. “They destroy them in the yard. It happens regardless of party, regardless of anything, there are people out there that think it’s fun to do that stuff.”

“I’ve had campaign signs vandalized,” Downton said. “It’s frustrating.”

On Thursday, he said he was ready to replace the wrap and resume his West Travis County campaign.

“(With) potential damage between the wrap and the paint, it could be in the $2,000 to 3,000 range,” he said.

Downton added, now more than ever, he is encouraged to run.

“People should also have the right to express other opinions,” he said. “Political speech should be welcome everywhere at all times.”

Downtown has a few opponents in his House race. He will face Republican incumbent Paul Workman in the primary. The winner there will go up against Democrat Chris Frandsen .