Maine GOP Candidate Forced To Drop Out After Calling Parkland Shooting Survivor Emma González A ‘Skinhead Lesbian’

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THE GOOD NEWS:

While the tenor of American political discourse seems to have hit a new low, a Republican running for the Maine state legislature wasn’t able to get away with insulting survivors of the Parkland school shooting.

Since Donald Trump burst onto the political scene, the tone of our country’s political conversation has become nastier. In the aftermath of his election, many have wondered if this new low in U.S. politics has become the new normal.

Thankfully, a Republican candidate for the Maine state legislature has been forced to drop out after making disgusting comments about Parkland school shooting survivors 18-year-old Emma González and 17-year-old David Hogg.

Both González and Hogg have become vocal critics of the NRA in the wake of the murders.

Leslie Gibson, who was running unopposed for the Maine House 57th District, called González a “skinhead lesbian” in response to an article about how the teen has surpassed the NRA in Twitter followers. (By the way, she’s bisexual — and not a skinhead.)

Gibson would later say González is not a “survivor” because she was “in a completely different part of the school” during the shooting. He also called Hogg a “bald-faced liar.”

After his comments, Maine State Sen. Amy Volk (R) urged Gibson to drop out of the race, as did Elaine Makas, the county Democratic chairwoman. “The people of Androscoggin County deserve better than someone who lobs disgusting attacks at children who have survived the unimaginable,” Makas said.

Gibson’s comments prompted Eryn Gilchrist (D) and former state senator Thomas Martin Jr. (R), to jump into the race before the March 15 deadline.

Although Gibson tweeted an apology to González, it wasn’t enough. He was forced to remove himself from the race on March 17.