Politician who shared sexist meme on Facebook loses to woman who decided to run to unseat him

In January, Republican John Carman shared a sexist meme on Facebook mocking women who were participating in the Women’s March in Washington, D.C., and its partner marches around the country. On Tuesday, he lost his seat to a woman who was so angered by his post that she decided to run against him.

Carman, a freeholder for New Jersey’s Atlantic County, posted a meme in January that read, “Will the women’s protest be over in time for them to cook dinner?” on his Facebook page, along with a caption he added himself: “Just asking?”

Carman later appeared to have deleted the post, the Philadelphia Inquirer reported — but not before it had upset and angered plenty of people, including Ashley Bennett, 32, a psychiatric emergency screener from Egg Harbor Township.

As the Inquirer reported on Wednesday, Bennett was so angered by Carman’s posting that she showed up to protest at an Atlantic County freeholder’s meeting. Then she decided to run for his seat — and on Tuesday, she won it.

Bennett, a first-time politician who ran as a Democrat, beat Carman by nearly 1,000 votes out of some 14,000 cast in the race, the Inquirer reported. “People want change,” Bennett told the outlet on Wednesday morning. “I am beyond speechless and incredibly grateful to serve my community. I never imaged I would run for office.”