Mark McCloskey has announced his candidacy for the U.S. Senate.
The 63-year old personal injury lawyer from St. Louis made headlines last summer when he and his wife Patricia stood on their lawn with guns to protect themselves from protestors marching past their home. He had been considering a run for months.
"God came knocking on my door last summer, disgusted as an angry mob, and it really woke me up," McCloskey said in officially announcing his candidacy. "What I've learned is that the people in this country are sick and tired of cancel culture and the poison of critical race theory and the big lie of systemic racism, all backed up by the threat of mob violence and people are just sick of it."
He joined Fox News to make the official announcement:
In the August 2022 primary, he will face Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt and former Missouri Governor Eric Greitens, who have both declared their candidacy for the senate seat of retiring Senator Roy Blunt. Republican Congresswoman Ann Wanger is also considering jumping in the race.
In March, Sen. Roy Blunt of Missouri announced he will retire and not seek re-election next year.
Related
Meanwhile, gun charges filed against the McCloskeys by St. Louis Circuit Attorney Kim Gardner are still unresolved. They were charged with unlawful use of a weapon and evidence tampering in connection with the front lawn incident.
Protesters were marching to the home of then-St. Louis Mayor Lyda Krewson as part of the nationwide protest following the killing of George Floyd. The group veered into a private street that the McCloskeys lived on. They said they felt threatened by the "angry mob" that ignored the "No Trespassing" sign and broke down an iron gate. The couple in their early 60s stood on their property with guns and demanded the protesters leave.
The case is now in the hands of a court-appointed Special Prosecutor, after Gardner was barred from the case because of a conflict of interest.
Former U.S. Attorney Richard Callahan will serve as the Special Prosecutor. The McCloskey's lawyer has filed a motion asking that a new grand jury be seated to reconsider whether the charges Gardner filed are supported by the evidence.
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