Vince Shlomi, widely recognized as the “ShamWow guy” who appeared on American screens for years in his towel infomercials, is now pursuing a seat in Congress, where he pledges to combat “wokeism” across the U.S.

Shlomi, 61, revealed to TIME that the death of right-wing activist Charlie Kirk in September served as the “catalyst” for his campaign to represent Texas’s 31st Congressional District.

Shlomi recounted that he was developing a skit titled “Woke Busters,” a satirical take on the movie Ghostbusters about individuals “who destroy the ideology—the false ideology—of wokeism,” when he learned of Kirk’s passing. The video critiques diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives, as well as transgender rights, among other policies. In one part of the skit, Shlomi can be heard singing, “If you see a thong that has a shlong, who can you call? Woke busters.”

“He is a woke buster,” Shlomi remarked concerning Kirk. “I felt like I have Charlie Kirk’s spirit in me, in a sense—or near me. It’s drawn me to do this.”

“I guess I’m becoming the woke buster myself,” Shlomi continued.

The erstwhile infomercial celebrity has submitted his filing to run for the Texas House seat with the , though he has not yet, as of Tuesday, filed with the .

Shlomi admits that he still needs to “work on” the specifics of his political platform. However, the core principle of his campaign is to oppose “wokeism” in America, which he claims “is based on misinformation or false ideas in order to control people” and attributes to fostering “hate and fear” in society. If elected, he aims to address the suppression of conservative viewpoints that he believes occurs on certain social media platforms. He states his desire for “kids to be happy,” suggesting they should learn about LGBTQ+ identities “later.” He also proposes implementing “video monitoring systems in the schools so parents can see what’s going on.”

The exact methods Shlomi would use to implement these policies if he were to win a seat in the House remain unclear. He also faces a formidable challenge in the election against long-serving incumbent Rep. John Carter, a Republican who has held his congressional seat for over 20 years. Carter, 84, announced on Nov. 8 that he was seeking re-election.

Yet, Shlomi appears unfazed by the prospect of contending with a seasoned public official.

“I’m sure he’s done some good things,” Shlomi said about Carter. “But I think what’s good about me is I always think outside the box.”

“He’s what, 84? I’m 61. Sometimes I get a little tired. I can just imagine him in terms of his age,” he further stated. “But if he does step down, maybe he’ll sponsor me or support me.”

Shlomi has been the subject of past controversies. In 2009, he was arrested on suspicion of battery for allegedly punching a sex worker after she bit his tongue and refused to let go. Neither he nor the woman were charged. He has stated that the altercation was a “mistake.” Now, he says, he represents “a better version” of himself.

“I shouldn’t have went down the party path,” he remarked, but believes that “in some ways, it’s a blessing in disguise.”

“Now I’m on the right road, and I think it’s made me a better person and it gives me more motivation to get what I need to get,” he affirmed.

Shlomi likens his congressional campaign to “a parallel” of his television career.

“I did such a good job at ShamWow and just being myself,” he stated. “I’m just hoping that maybe this is, again, my calling.”