Sixth District Congressman Mark Walker announced he’s running for the US Senate in 2022 on Tuesday, Dec. 1.

Walker’s announcement in keeping with the times is in a YouTube video (Mark Walker for US Senate) filmed in Greensboro, beginning with Walker walking in front of the International Civil Rights Center and Museum and meeting up with Clarence Henderson.

Walker’s first endorsement comes from Henderson, who participated in the sit-ins that began on Feb. 1, 1960. Although Henderson did not participate on the first day, he was there on Feb. 2 and is one of the four young men sitting at the lunch counter in one of the most famous photos of the sit-in movement.

Walker begins the video saying, “When I was elected to Congress, I told our team, let’s do more than make an argument, let’s make a difference. My goal, to be a conservative warrior and a bridge builder for all of our communities, and that is exactly what we did taking on the swamp. My prayer is that God would provide the people to be part of the journey.”

In the video, Mike Huckabee says, “Mark’s record as a conservative champion is unquestioned and appreciated by all of his colleagues, also appreciated by people all over the country. It is time for the people of North Carolina to get together and make sure they elect a true solid conservative who has the guts to fight. That’s Mark Walker.”

Walker was first elected to Congress from the Sixth District in 2014. He won reelection in 2016 and 2018. Before the 2020 election, the Sixth District was redrawn to become a heavily Democratic district and Walker did not run for reelection.

There was some talk at the time that Walker would run against Sen. Thom Tillis in the 2020 Republican primary. North Carolina Sen. Richard Burr who has been in the Senate since 2004, has announced he will not run for a fourth term in 2022, which leaves an open Senate seat.

Predictions are that the primaries in both parties will be crowded and a huge amount of money will be spent on the 2022 North Carolina Senate race.

Walker will serve in Congress until January 2021, when Democratic Sixth District Congresswoman-elect Kathy Manning will be sworn in.

After that Walker will be able to campaign full time for the Senate.

In the House, Walker was elected to head the powerful Republican Study Committee in 2017, and was elected vice chair of the House Republican Conference in 2019. He is also chairman of the Prayer Caucus.

Before being elected to Congress, Walker was an assistant pastor at Lawndale Baptist Church. His wife, Kelly, is a family nurse practitioner and they have three children.