Mark McCloskey, who became a viral conservative microcelebrity last summer when he and his wife Patricia were photographed pointing guns at Black Lives Matter protesters, is running for Senate.
He made the announcement late Tuesday night, tweeting, “An angry mob marched to destroy my home and kill my family, I took a stand to defend them. I am a proven fighter against the mob. When the mob comes to destroy our home, our state, our nation— I’ll defend it. I will NEVER BACK DOWN.”
This approach tracks with the couple’s past statements, though political observers were quick to point out that the so-called “mob” was a march of protesters who walked near, not at, McCloskey’s home.
The McCloskeys — who were indicted with felony weapons charges after those photos and videos showing them brandishing firearms at protesters in their neighborhood went viral — spoke during last year’s Republican National Convention, telling viewers that if then-nominee, now-President Joe Biden won in November, he would “abolish the suburbs.” There was no proof to substantiate the claim, nor is there now evidence he has done so in his first months in office.
In an appearance on Fox News’ “Tucker Carlson Tonight” Tuesday, the candidate said, “God came knocking on my door last summer disguised as an angry mob and it really did wake me up.”
Watch his campaign announcement below.