A candidate for a seat in the House of Representatives in Maine has apologized after taking to Twitter to attack a student activist in Parkland.
Leslie Gibson, a Republican, originally tweeted "There is nothing about this skinhead lesbian that impresses me and there is nothing that she has to say unless you're frothing at the mouth moonbat." Gibson wrote this about 18-year-old Emma Gonzalez.
Gonzalez has been at the forefront of those speaking out following a shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School on Feb. 14, 2018 in Parkland, Florida. She is leading the fight to make assault rifles harder to obtain.
The candidate's attack tweets were deleted, and Gibson tweeted an apology, saying, "You are doing work that is important to you. I would like to extend my hand in friendship and to understand you."
Gibson had been running unopposed for the seat in the 57th District in Maine. The Sun Journal reports Democrat Eryn Gilchrist, a 28-year-old Connecticut native now living in Maine, filed paperwork after the comments were made and there was a push for someone to run against Gibson.
The seat is now contested, the Sun Journal reports.
It appears Gibson has since removed the Twitter account, @LeslieEGibson2, and those discussing the situation on Twitter are using a hashtag, #LeslieEGibson.
