Richard Ojeda, the West Virginia Democrat who voted for Donald Trump in 2016, lost a bid for the House in 2018 and made a short-lived run for president, is now trying to challenge Republican Sen. Shelley Moore Capito this year.

Ojeda, a former state senator and retired Army major, announced his campaign on social media and in a blog post on the website of DemCast, a nonprofit advocacy group.

“I believe Mitch McConnell needs a thorn in his side and nobody is better at that than me … Richard Ojeda,” he wrote.

Taking on Capito, who is running for a second term in a state that backed Trump by 42 points, won’t be easy. Inside Elections with Nathan L. Gonzales rates the race Solid Republican.

Ojeda’s bid for West Virginia’s open 3rd District in 2018 garnered national attention for his straight-talking, unconventional campaign approach. As a former Trump supporter, he appeared well-positioned to connect with Trump voters in the state’s southern coal-mining district, many of whom remain registered Democrats, even while voting Republican. Trump carried the 3rd District by an even bigger margin than he carried the state — 49 points.