A SPOKESMAN for Republican Presidential nominee Mitt Romney has condemned a racist t-shirt seen at a Romney/Ryan campaign event in Ohio.

A crowd of more than 8000 supporters came to greet Romney at Lancaster, Ohio on Friday, including one man who seemed proud to demonstrate his racist side.

An unidentified bald man was photographed inside the rally wearing a t-shirt with the slogan "Put The White Back in the White House".

Above the slogan, the man had added a Romney/Ryan logo.

According to Buzzfeed, a Romney spokesperson commented that the shirt was "reprehensible and has no place in this election."

The image drew strong reactions on social networks, with comments on Twitter such as "Absolutely disgusting, shows the type of people Romney draws" and "Was an undecided voter. Voting for Obama now. If GOP this full of hate I want no part of it."

A number of liberal bloggers claim this is proof of the racism they say is inherent in the Republican Party.

Conservative commentator Robert Stacy McCain hit back, claiming that the man in the photo "is not in fact a Republican, but rather is a plant sent out by the Democrats as a dirty trick."