WILLIAMSON COUNTY, Texas — Dr. Christine Mann’s campaign signs hadn’t even been up for 24 hours before becoming the center of controversy.

"My husband called me and said we have a problem. We found a noose on one of our campaign signs." Mann said. "I just had to stop what I was doing and we’ve been out here dealing with it."

Mann said she thinks the symbol of hate could be backlash because she's a woman and a Democrat running for the Texas 31st District U.S. House of Representatives seat.

"I am a woman running for office (and) I have an African American woman who is my campaign manager," Mann said. "It is possible that both of those things played a role."

Mann's campaign manager, Jaquita Wilson-Kirby, said that this form of intimidation is something she sees too often.

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"I’ve been working social justice issues in Williamson County for the last two years, and I’ve seen a lot of hate here," Wilson-Kirby said. "So I wasn’t surprised that it happened, but I was still very angry that these women had to go through that and had to feel unsafe in their space."

The women who own the house where the sign was vandalized said they weren't surprised it happened. Jena Recer said she and her wife are often harassed at her home because of their sexuality.

"As a lesbian couple, we’ve gotten all kinds of harassment," Recer said. "Not the ideal living place as it presents itself as a lot of close minded people."

Mann said the threats will only motivate her and her team to work harder: "This is not going to stop me from doing what I'm doing, this is not going to stop me from speaking out, I am not afraid. We still all need to stand up for what we believe in and not let ourselves be intimidated and not go away."