An admitted revenge pornographer on Tuesday reversed course, telling voters he is not dropping out of a race for the Kansas state legislature.
19-year-old Aaron Coleman turned heads earlier this month when he eked out a 14-vote victory over a longtime Democratic incumbent. Coleman, who admitted to harassing young girls online as a middle schooler and circulating a naked photo of another teen, also urged Republican candidates not to wear a mask during the pandemic in the hopes they would contract COVID-19.
Bowing to pressure from local and national Democrats, Coleman announced Sunday he would withdraw from the race, allowing his defeated opponent to take his place on the ballot. But he changed his mind on Tuesday, issuing a statement signaling his intention to stay int he race. Coleman acknowledged that he is a "flawed individual who has made mistakes," but said he owed it to voters to stay on the ballot.
The teenager is still facing resistance from his fellow party members: The Kansas University Young Democrats on Tuesday said that Coleman "cannot be enabled and he cannot be allowed to hold office."