Metro East Sun

Brian Stout, Democratic candidate for the state Senate in the 54th District, posted a gay slur on Facebook's messaging platform during a drawn-out altercation with a Vandalia resident.

“It was back about three years ago,” a man who identified himself only as a veteran, told the Metro East Sun. “He called me a ‘little faggot.’ And he told me I need to ‘clean up my sh…y yard.’”

Tom Elliott, a spokesman for Stout, did not dispute Stout’s use of the language.

“He regrets using it and apologizes to anyone who is offended by it,” Elliot said. “But at the time, this guy attacked his family by calling his wife a ‘spineless bitch.’”

The veteran said the fight started when he saw Stout and his wife driving the wrong way down a one-way alley behind his house. He said he was already upset at Stout for the installation of a dog park across the street from his house. Stout has held various positions with the city; he is now president of the Vandalia Park District and Airport.

“I posted something on Facebook about it that night and my phone and Facebook page starting lighting up with messages from Stout,” the veteran said.

The fight continued over the next few months, and included the police coming to the veteran’s house and calls to his place of employment where he works as a plumber.

“He tried to get me fired,” he said.

Elliott said that the veteran (whom he named) has a history of posting “xenophobic, racist, misogynist, bigoted, homophobic” remarks on Facebook.

He also questioned the significance of the exchange.

“This is something that happened three years ago when both were private citizens," Elliott said. "I don’t see how this is an issue now."

Stout, 35, faces Republican Jason Plummer, 36, of Edwardsville, for the Senate seat currently held by Sen. Kyle McCarter (R-Lebanon). McCarter, who did not run for re-election, has been nominated to be ambassador to Kenya.

The 54th district runs from Effingham to Shiloh, and includes all of Bond, Fayette, Clinton and Marion counties, in addition to parts of St. Clair, Madison, Effingham and Washington counties.