Rep. Ralph Norman (R-S.C.) said on Thursday that people need to "lighten up" over his joke mocking sexual misconduct accusations brought against President Trump's Supreme Court nominee, Brett Kavanaugh.

Earlier on Thursday at an election debate, Norman quipped that "Ruth Bader Ginsburg came out saying she was groped by Abraham Lincoln," days after Christine Blasey Ford, a psychology professor in North California, came forward publicly detailing her allegations against Kavanaugh to The Washington Post.

Norman's comments prompted a whirlwind of criticism on social media from Democrats who called his remarks "inappropriate."

"Ralph Norman just proved he may be rich but he doesn't have any class," South Carolina Democratic Party Chairman Trav Robertson tweeted. "Inappropriate doesn't describe his remarks."

Former South Carolina Democratic Party Chairman Jaime Harrison also slammed Norman for his remarks, saying "now sexual assault is a punchline for a stupid joke!"

Norman on Twitter addressed the criticism he received shortly after, saying his comments "were meant to add a bit of levity to a very serious debate between me and my Democrat opponent and to point to the circus-like atmosphere that Washington DC has become."

"People really need to learn to lighten up," he continued. "Clearly my opponent understood it that way since for the next hour we engaged in a substantive discussion about our many differences without mention of my comments."

"Once again, the Democrats and the media have taken an event that was newsworthy for so many substantive reasons and are now only adding more clowns and distractions to the current circus," he added.

The South Carolina Republican also received backlash earlier this year after brandishing a loaded pistol at a meeting with constituents to make a point about the dangers of firearms, according to The Post and Courier.