This Young Woman Is Challenging The Maine Republican Who Insulted Emma González

On Tuesday, Refinery29 reported that Leslie Gibson, a Republican candidate for House District 57 in Maine, called 18-year-old student activist Emma González a "skinhead lesbian" on Twitter and questioned her identity as a survivor of the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting. We also reported that he was running unopposed.

Well, not anymore. Eryn Gilchrist, a 28-year-old Bates College graduate who lives in Greene, ME, and works for a medical device company, filed her paperwork on Thursday — the deadline for Democratic and Republican candidates to file in the state. The election will be held on November 6, 2018.

According to the local Sun Journal, the Democrat had never anticipated running for office, but she felt so "horrified and embarrassed" by Gibson's statements that she decided to throw her hat into the ring.

"I never thought I would run for office, and I was perfectly content with just remaining a member of the community, but after reading Mr. Gibson’s comments I thought that the people of Greene and Sabattus deserved a representative who will respect people and try to work through their differences to make our lives better," Gilchrist said in a statement issued by the Maine Democratic Party. "That’s what I pledge to do if I am lucky enough to be elected, and I look forward to working hard over the next several months to earn the trust and support of people throughout my community."

"We could not be happier to have Eryn run," Maine House Speaker Sara Gideon said in a statement. "She is a concerned member of her community who cares about the future of her neighbors — and, like many other Democrats across Maine, she's now stepping up to help them." The Lewiston Democratic Committee has set up a contribution page for Gilchrist, and the campaign now has a Twitter account.

After Gibson's tweet, Democrats immediately called for a challenger to him on account of his statements.

David Hogg, another Parkland, FL, student activist, tweeted, "Hey friends in Maine! Who wants to run against this hate-loving politician? ... I don’t care what party. JUST DO IT."

Looks like Gilchrist answered the call.