Mark McCloskey, the St. Louis attorney who, along with his wife, waved guns at Black Lives Matter protesters in front of their home last year, is running for the U.S. Senate in 2022.

McCloskey, 64, announced his candidacy Tuesday night during an appearance on Fox News’ “Tucker Carlson tonight.”

"I've always been a Republican, but I've never been a politician," McCloskey said. "But, you know, God came knocking on my door last summer disguised as an angry mob, and it really did wake me up."

In last summer’s wave of protests sparked by the killing of George Floyd by a Minneapolis police officer, a group of protesters marched past the McCloskeys’ mansion last June on their way to the home of then Mayor Lyda Krewson’s nearby home. 

McCloskey is running for the seat being vacated by Republican Sen. Roy Blunt, who announced in March he won’t seek reelection.

In a confrontation captured by cellphone cameras, Mark McCloskey is seen holding an AR-15-style rifle while his wife, Patricia, also a lawyer, waves a handgun. The couple and some protesters could be seen shouting back and forth at each other. 

The McCloskeys claim the protesters broke down an iron gate and threatened to kill them and burn down their house. Protest leaders say the demonstration was peaceful and denied breaking the gate.

The incident catapulted the McCloskeys to celebrity status among conservatives, as they made appearances on Fox News, spoke at the Republican National Convention and campaigned for Donald Trump.

But the standoff also resulted in the couple facing felony weapons charges. They are set to go on trial Nov. 1, although Missouri Gov. Mike Parson has vowed to pardon them if they are convicted.

The McCloskeys’ attorney, Joel Schwartz, insists the couple did not break any laws.

McCloskey said he was inspired to run for office after campaigning for Trump. 

In a campaign video posted on social media Tuesday night, McCloskey plays up his standoff with protesters as he bills himself as a “defender.”

“When the angry mob came to destroy my house and kill my family, I took a stand against them,” he said. “Now I'm asking for the privilege to take that stand for all of us. I will never back down.”

In his interview on Fox, McCloskey railed “cancel culture,” “the big lie known as systemic racism” and “mob violence.” 

“People are just sick of it,” he said. “They don't want any more posers and egotists and career politicians going to D.C. All we hear is talk and nothing ever changes.”

The Republican field also includes state Attorney General Eric Schmitt and former Missouri Gov. Eric Greitens, who resigned following two scandals — one involving an extramarital affair, the other regarding his alleged illegal use of the donor list for his charity to raise money for his campaign.

Among the Democrats running are former state Sen. Scott Sifton and Marine Corps veteran and attorney Lucas Kunce.