New Jersey politician who joked about women's march defeated by female newcomer

MAYS LANDING — A New Jersey politician who shared a meme on Facebook during January's Women's March in Washington asking whether the protest would be "over in time for them to cook dinner" is eating his words.

Democrat Ashley Bennett, a first-time candidate who was angered by Republican John Carman's remarks, defeated him Tuesday as he tried to win a second term as an Atlantic County freeholder. The board oversees government in Atlantic County, a region of about 275,000 people that includes the struggling Atlantic City seaside gambling resort.

"Ashley Bennett's victory proved that democracy works best when ordinary people speak out, vote, and run for office," said Caseen Gaines, who serves as her communications director. "Ashley is looking forward to restoring dignity to the freeholder seat, and doing all she can to help strengthen Atlantic County's crumbling economy, reverse the uptick in foreclosures, and improve access to medical assistance for those in need. She is ready to put in the hours to improve the lives of everyone in her district — and she doesn't plan on making it home in time to cook dinner any time soon."

Prior to the election, Bennett had noted how the meme inspired her candidacy.

"I was angry about (the Facebook meme), because elected officials shouldn't be on social media mocking and belittling people who are expressing their concerns about their community and the nation," said the 32-year-old Bennett, an Egg Harbor Township resident who works as a psychiatric emergency screener in the crisis department at Cape Regional Hospital.

Read more: http://www.northjersey.com/story/news/politics/elections/2017/11/08/john-carman-who-joked-womens-march-defeated/844475001/