Maine Democrats have announced that a party member from Greene will run against a Republican Maine State House candidate from Sabattus, Leslie Gibson, who has been criticized for calling one Florida school shooting survivor a "skinhead lesbian" and another "a bald faced liar."
Democrat Eryn Gilchrist is a political newcomer who works for a medical device company in Bowdoin.
Maine Democratic Party Chair Phil Bartlett says Gilchrist was moved by Gibson's comments.
“She really was upset, as I think we all were, and felt it didn't represent the values of her community,” says Bartlett. “She came forward and was excited to step up to the plate and run for office to take him on.”
Gibson had been running unopposed for the District 57 seat. Democratic Sabattus Planning Board Chair David Gilbert also submitted signatures to get on the ballot, but says he'll withdraw his paperwork.
Today is the deadline to turn in signatures to run in the November elections, and many candidates for both parties are filing today all over the state.
“I think it's really important that we're seeing people all over the state who are really coming up, stepping forward to run for office this year,” says Bartlett. “It's a real opportunity to make sure the values of maine people are properly represented at the statehouse.”
This story was originally published March 15, 2018 at 4:04 p.m. ET.