Transgender Democrat who wants to be US senator caught using VERY flattering image in her autobiography

By JOE HUTCHISON, US SENIOR NEWS REPORTER Published: 16:21, 17 July 2026 | Updated: 16:24, 17 July 2026 A transgender Democrat vying to be the Senator for Maine in the wake of Graham Platner stepping down was caught out using an exceptionally flattering AI image of herself to promote her memoir.  Ashley Webb, a trans and intersex woman, is running to succeed Platner after his own bid for the Senate seat came crashing down amid allegations of sexual assault.  On Thursday night, Webb, alongside a cohort of other candidates, appeared for a debate hosted by News Center Maine.  It was after the debate that social media users found that Webb has a memoir, titled 'I Am Ashley' - and used an image generated by artificial intelligence of a young woman to promote it. The image shared to a social media page to promote the book shows a young woman in a purple dress, Webb looks nothing like her and is considerably older. When asked what qualifications she has to run for the Senate, Webb replied: 'I've ran for office several times, didn't win but I did.  'I am a songwriter, I write my own books and suppose my transparency I wouldn't lie to the people and I wouldn't deceive the people. 'I’m just an angry citizen now, and if I got elected, I’d be an angry senator, and I think that would probably be their worst nightmare.'  Webb is seen here taking part in the debate at the WCSH-6 studio on Thursday night in Maine Webb used an image generated by artificial intelligence of a young woman, seen here, to promote her own memoir 'I Am Ashley' According to a profile of Webb, she is running her grassroots movement under the name 'Ashley Webb: Take No Prisoners'. Webb wrote: 'I will keep pushing for a healthcare system that treats patients as partners in their own care instead of obstacles to a fifteen-minute visit.  'I will keep the same relentless, detail-driven approach I’ve used for years fighting for my own medical records and accountability, and apply it to fighting for every Mainer the system has failed.  'As an openly trans and intersex woman, I know what it means to be told to wait, to be quieter, to let someone else speak for you.  I won’t do that in this campaign, and I won’t do it in the Senate. No Mainer – rural or urban, Democrat, Republican, or unenrolled – should have to fight this hard just to be heard by the people meant to represent them. 'This movement doesn’t end at the convention. It continues every time someone calls my office with a problem and gets a real answer instead of a form letter.  'That’s the standard I’m setting for this campaign, and it’s the standard I’ll bring to Washington.' According to her Amazon profile, Webb has penned two books, her memoir and a cookbook focused on meals under 600 calories.  Webb touted her work as author when asked what credentials she has to run for office According to her Amazon profile, Webb has penned two books, her memoir and a cookbook focused on meals under 600 calories From left, U.S. Senate candidates David Costello, Elizabeth Dickerson, Dan Kleban, and Ashley Webb prepare for a televised debate Her campaign website vows to make healthcare affordable, protect workers, hold corporations to account, and maintain rural infrastructure.  She also said that she would not back American taxpayers money being sent to Israel, adding: 'I'll always stand against occupation and unjustified military aggression.' The site also lists her work as an author and links to a YouTube page made up primarily of music apparently made by Webb using AI tools.  Some of them reference political figures including President Donald Trump and his close adviser Stephen Miller.  The Daily Mail contacted Webb for comment.