[et_pb_section bb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”3.0.91″ custom_padding=”0px|0px|0px|0px” next_background_color=”#000000″][et_pb_row custom_padding=”0px|0px|0px|0px” _builder_version=”3.0.47″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″][et_pb_image admin_label=”Top Image” _builder_version=”3.0.106″ show_in_lightbox=”off” url_new_window=”off” use_overlay=”off” always_center_on_mobile=”on” force_fullwidth=”off” show_bottom_space=”on” src=”http:\/\/carolinanewsandreporter.cic.sc.edu\/test\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/04\/clownw3_dk.jpg” \/][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row custom_padding=”2px|0px|8px|0px” _builder_version=”3.0.47″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″][et_pb_text admin_label=”Top Image caption” _builder_version=”3.0.106″ text_font=”|600|||||||” text_font_size=”12px” background_layout=”light”]<\/p>\n
Former professional clown Steve Lough says that as a clown, it is important to know your audience, which is why he was so surprised when his congressional opponent, incumbent S.C. Rep. Ralph Norman, decided to pull out a loaded firearm in public on April 6.<\/p>\n
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Steve Lough, who has filed to run as a Democrat for the 5th district congressional seat, said he wasn\u2019t happy with the candidates from past elections, so he decided to run himself.<\/p>\n
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Steve Lough will be running against Archie Parnell (above) in the 5th congressional district Democratic primary on June 12.<\/p>\n
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If Steve Lough defeats Archie Parnell in the June 12 Democratic primary, he will run against incumbent Rep. Ralph Norman, above, in the general election on Nov. 6.<\/p>\n
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A Democrat running to defeat South Carolina Rep. Ralph Norman said he was appalled that the 5th District congressman placed\u00a0a loaded gun on the table at a constituent meet-and-greet on April 6.<\/p>\n
“The whole thing was insanity,” Steve Lough, a former Ringling Bros. professional clown, said Monday. “Every South Carolinian should be upset at his manners. It’s possible someone there was a victim of gun violence. As a clown, you have to know your audience.”<\/p>\n
Lough believes Norman’s actions were detrimental to the conversation surrounding gun control.<\/p>\n
“It doesn’t advance the serious discussion about kids being afraid to go to school,” Lough said. “He thought he was sending a message to liberals. It was just tacky.”<\/p>\n
Norman, who has a concealed carry permit, defended his actions, saying an unloaded gun doesn’t do you any good. He set the .38-caliber Smith & Wesson handgun on the table of a Rock Hill diner for about five minutes during the meeting.<\/p>\n
Lough has filed to run as a Democrat in South Carolina’s\u00a05th C<\/span>ongressional district, which is in the northern part of the state below Charlotte. Lough faces Archie Parnell in the Democratic primary; the primary winner will face incumbent <\/span>Norman in the general election.<\/p>\n Lough is from Camden and was a professional clown for 31 years.\u00a0 A graduate of Dartmouth College, he volunteered on Barack Obama\u2019s presidential campaign in 2008. Lough supported Hillary Clinton at the beginning of the 2016 presidential race, but soon decided to back Bernie Sanders instead.<\/p>\n Lough thinks the Democratic Party could have done better in past elections. \u201cWe ran the wrong candidates,\u201d Lough said. \u201cWe got lazy. We thought the people that have money, they must know what they\u2019re doing; they can win. They can\u2019t win.\u201d<\/p>\n Lough believes he is more well-suited for the job than other candidates.<\/p>\n \u201cIf you get to know me, really get to know me, and really read the stuff that I have written and talked about, you\u2019d probably vote for me instead of those other guys,\u201d Lough said.<\/p>\n Lough also encourages voters to do research on the candidates before making a decision. He has established a campaign Facebook page so voters can learn more about him.<\/p>\n \u201cBeware of the candidates,\u201d Lough said. \u201cFind out who they are before you vote. Your vote is very important. That controls the power. And tell everybody you know to vote.\u201d<\/p>\n Lough is not satisfied with what Republicans have done while in power.<\/p>\n \u201cWe had an assault weapons ban in this country, and we let that slip away,\u201d Lough said. \u201cWe had progress. I\u2019m a progressive for making progress.\u201d<\/p>\n Lough also said that he\u00a0thinks it\u2019s important to focus on the working class.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat we\u2019ve had is people that have been afraid to stand up for working people,\u201d Lough said. \u201cThe Democratic Party used to be the party for working people. All those people who have gone over now and voted for Trump, a lot of those people used to be our people. We let that happen.\u201d<\/p>\n Lough wants people to know that he is approachable is always willing to talk with someone.<\/p>\n \u201cWherever you can, come out and try to meet me, I\u2019ll try to be around the district as much as I can,\u201d Lough said. \u201cMeet with me and talk with me and read about circus history; read the stuff that I write.\u201d<\/p>\n
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