Politics in America has always been a bit of a contact sport, but every now and then, something happens that makes even the most seasoned political junkies do a double-take. That’s exactly what happened in late October 2024, just days before the presidential election. A vulgar anti-Kamala Harris billboard popped up along a highway in Newark, Ohio, and it wasn't just your standard "vote for the other guy" messaging. It was graphic, it was sexualized, and it sparked a firestorm that involved local businesses, national news outlets, and a very embarrassed advertising company.
If you missed the play-by-play, here is the deal. The billboard, located on Ohio 16 in Licking County, featured a two-paneled design. On one side, you had a stoic-looking Donald Trump with the quote, "In reality, they're not after me, they're after you. I'm just in the way." Standard campaign trail rhetoric. But the other side? That’s where things went off the rails. It showed a doctored, AI-style image of Vice President Kamala Harris in a highly suggestive, sexualized position—on her knees with her tongue out. The text next to it read: “Kamala can’t talk right now. She’s at a baby shower.”
Yeah. It was that bad.
Who Was Behind the Sign?
Naturally, everyone wanted to know who paid for this thing. It wasn't some shadowy PAC from out of state. It was a local business called RK Towing, based right there in Newark. For a few days, the billboard stood as a jarring landmark for commuters heading westbound toward Columbus.
RK Towing didn't initially jump to the microphones to explain themselves, but the advertising firm, Kennedy Outdoor Advertising, certainly did. They were caught in a nightmare of a PR situation. Clayton, a spokesperson for the company, told The Newark Advocate that the whole thing was basically a massive oversight. He claimed they didn't realize the image was sexual.
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"We don't always look and try to analyze every detail," Clayton said. He explained that they thought the image was just portraying the Vice President as a "crybaby." It sounds a bit thin to anyone who saw the photo, but that was their story. They admitted that usually, only one person reviews these designs. If a team had looked at it, it likely never would have seen the light of day.
The Backlash and the Quick Removal
Once the photos hit Reddit and Facebook, the reaction was swift. We're talking "phones ringing off the hook" levels of anger. Local residents were furious, not just because of the politics, but because they had to explain the graphic imagery to their kids sitting in the backseat on the way to school.
- The Removal: The sign went up on a Friday afternoon. By Sunday, it was gone.
- The Apology: Kennedy Outdoor Advertising expressed deep regret, stating they were "ashamed" and did not condone that kind of vulgarity.
- The Fallout: The company reportedly received threats and explicit messages after the billboard went viral.
It’s interesting to note that the Licking County Board of Elections actually didn't get many calls before it was removed. Most people went straight to the source—the billboard company and the business that paid for it.
A Pattern of Sexist Attacks?
To understand why this specific vulgar anti-Kamala Harris billboard hit such a nerve, you have to look at the broader context of the 2024 campaign. This wasn't an isolated incident of "low-blow" humor. Harris had been facing a barrage of comments that many critics labeled as deeply sexist.
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Earlier in the year, a Fox News guest had referred to her as the "original Hawk Tuah girl," and JD Vance’s "childless cat lady" comments were still fresh in everyone's minds. When you put a graphic billboard on a public highway, it moves from "internet meme" to "public nuisance" pretty quickly.
Why It Stayed Up (Even for 48 Hours)
You might wonder how something like this gets printed in the first place. Billboard companies are private entities. They have the right to refuse service, but they also have a business to run. In this case, the breakdown happened in the review process.
In smaller advertising markets, the "department" responsible for vetting content is often just one guy with a lot on his plate. If he glances at an image and sees a politician making a face, he might hit "approve" without thinking twice. That "crybaby" defense from Kennedy Outdoor Advertising might sound like a reach, but in the fast-paced world of local ad sales, things slip through the cracks. Honestly, it’s a cautionary tale for any company handling political content.
Lessons for the Future of Political Ads
This whole Newark saga teaches us a few things about where we are as a country. First, the "outrage cycle" is faster than ever. A billboard in a small Ohio town can become national news in under six hours thanks to a single Reddit post.
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Second, the line between "edgy" and "unacceptable" is still there, even if it feels like it’s shifting. Most people—regardless of who they were voting for—seemed to agree that a highway isn't the place for sexualized AI fakes.
Next Steps for Concerned Citizens:
- Check Local Ordinances: If you see something truly graphic in your area, check your city's "sign codes." Most have rules against "obscene" content, though political speech has high protections.
- Contact the Owner: As seen in this case, the billboard owner is often the fastest route to getting something removed. Most companies don't want the PR nightmare associated with vulgarity.
- Verify the Source: Look for the "paid for by" disclaimer. It’s usually in a tiny font in the corner, but it’s required by law for political advertisements.
The Newark billboard is gone now, replaced by something much less controversial, but it remains a weird, slightly dark footnote in the history of the 2024 election. It's a reminder that while the internet can be a wild place, the "real world" still has some boundaries.
If you're ever curious about how to handle similar situations in your own community, the best move is usually to document the issue and contact the advertising agency directly. Most of the time, they're just as embarrassed as you are.