Jacob Chansley, the “QAnon Shaman” who wore patriotic face paint with animal fur and horns in the United States Capitol riot on Jan. 6, is running for Congress.
Chansley filed paperwork to run as a libertarian in Arizona’s 8th Congressional District last week, according to a submission to the secretary of state’s office. The seat is presently held by Rep. Debbie Lesko (R-AZ), who announced in October she wouldn’t be running for reelection. Lesko’s term ends in January 2025.
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After he was charged with obstructing an official proceeding during the riot, Chansley pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 41 months in prison in November 2021. He was moved to a halfway house in March and was released on May 25.
Following the riot, Chansley’s choice of wardrobe became a familiar trope in popular culture and comedic sketches about the Capitol riot.
While Arizona law blocks felons from voting until they have completed their sentence, nothing in the U.S. Constitution prohibits felons from running for or holding federal office.
Chansley is entering a crowded field seeking Lesko’s seat. Others seeking her spot include Blake Masters, who lost a 2022 bid for the U.S. Senate, and at least one other candidate who was at the Jan. 6 riot, state Sen. Anthony Kern.
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Chansley still maintains his support for former President Donald Trump, as his appearance at the Capitol more than two years ago was in support of Trump’s claims that voter fraud cost him the election to President Joe Biden.
Around 1,200 people have been charged with Capitol riot-related federal crimes, and more than 700 of them have been sentenced, with roughly two-thirds receiving terms of imprisonment from three days to 22 years, according to the Justice Department.
