'QAnon Shaman' Is Running for Congress

Jacob Chansley, the man often seen as the face of the January 6, 2021, Capitol riot and who is perhaps more famously known as "QAnon Shaman," promised after being released from prison and a halfway house that he would continue his quest for "truth." Apparently that journey involves the 35-year-old running for Congress in Arizona. The Arizona Republic reports he filed a candidate statement of interest with the Arizona Secretary of State's office Thursday, though he used the name Jacob Angeli-Chansley, which he has been known to go by. He indicated he'd run as a libertarian. The US Constitution does not prohibit convicted felons from holding federal office, Axios notes.

Chansley is looking to replace Debbie Lesko, a Republican who is not seeking re-election to the House of Representatives next year. And he's far from the only one: Per the Republic, the field is "so crowded, he's not even the only one who was at the attack on the Capitol." Arizona state Sen. Anthony Kern, who is also running, was also at the Capitol on January 6. Other Republicans running include Arizona House speaker Ben Toma and Trent Franks, who once held the seat but resigned amid controversy regarding sexual harassment and a strange surrogacy offer in 2017. (More Capitol riot stories.)