Mark McCloskey, who made headlines last year for wielding an assault weapon at the Black Lives Matter demonstrators, has announced that he is considering running for the 2022 vacant Senate seat in Missouri.
The gun-toting St. Louis personal injury lawyer, alongside his wife Patricia, pointed a gun at protestors last year when they marched past the lawyer's house.
Photographs of the barefoot couple guarding their home as BLM protestors marched on went viral almost immediately after they were taken during a summer of civil upheaval following the death of George Floyd. They were later charged with illegal use of a weapon and tampering of evidence, The New York Post reported. McCloskey accused the demonstrators of intruding on private land, expressed concern about a "storming of the Bastille" and claimed to be a "victim of terrorism."
A year later, Mark McCloskey publicly declared a bid for U.S. Senate in his home state of Missouri, on the day of Derek Chauvin's guilty verdict.
“I can confirm that it’s a consideration, yes,” McCloskey said in an interview with Politico, on Tuesday evening.
It should be great to see the candidates for U.S. Senate head-to-head. A little fireworks to fire up the base!
— Mark T. McCloskey (@Mark__McCloskey) April 14, 2021
The McCloskeys became pro-gun activists after the infamous incident, drew the attention of former President Donald Trump and were invited to the Republican National Convention.
McCloskey said he didn't have a timetable for deciding whether or not to contest for the Senate seat being vacated by Republican Sen. Roy Blunt, a Fox News report said.
McCloskey spoke at a Jackson County GOP dinner this past weekend, which also included former Gov. Eric Greitens and state Attorney General Eric Schmitt, who have both declared candidacies for governor.
Although the McCloskeys' actions were heavily condemned, they were defended by many conservatives, including Trump. The couple's home would have been totally ransacked and probably burned down, Trump had said in their defense.
"These people were standing there, never used it, and they were legal, the weapons," the former US president said at the time.
McCloskey believes there is an overwhelming concern about what is unfolding currently with the undermining of the Constitution and the fundamental rights, Fox News quoted him saying.
He said he hadn’t spoken to Trump about his intentions to run for Senate, but he would be thrilled if he were to be endorsed by the former president.
Former state senator Scott Sifton and attorney Lucas Kunce have begun campaigns for the Democratic Senate nomination.
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