VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (WVEC) — A Virginia Beach city council candidate said he and his campaign staff were the targets of a racist note left on his car on Tuesday.
David Nygaard said it happened Town Center before heading into an endorsement interview.
Being one of four candidates in the beach district city council race, he said he knew it'd be competitive but he didn't think it could come to this.
"I was surprised to see this in Virginia Beach, quite frankly," said Nygaard. "I ended up going to lunch, and when I came back from lunch in Town Center, I went to my car to get my briefcase to go for the Chamber of Commerce interview, and this was sitting on my windshield before the interview."
The note left featured the "N" word, as well as the "F" word, which Nygaard felt was targeted specifically at him and his diverse campaign staff.
His campaign manager, Marcus Calabrese, said the majority of the staff members are either black or Filipino.
"My campaign staff goes everywhere with me, even their kids come with me and we're kind of like a family. On this day I was by myself. What if one of my campaign staff were with me? Or worse, one of the kids were with me and saw this note?" he said.
"It's very rare he's by himself so I really believe it was meant for one of us. Maybe me, maybe not," said Calabrese.
Calabrese said the staff talked briefly about the note, explaining this may not be the last time it happens between now and November.
"You accept that it's going to happen and you have to be the better person," Calabrese said.
"We're prepared for the opposition and this solidifies that we're trying to make a change," Nygaard told 13News Now.