January 6 'QAnon Shaman' Is Running For Congress

Jacob Chansley, the man infamously known as the 'QAnon Shaman' for his role in the riot at the United States Capitol on January 6, 2021, is reportedly planning to run for Congress, according to online paperwork obtained by the Associated Press.

Chansley, 35, filed a candidate statement of interest last Thursday (November 9) with the intention to run as a Libertarian for Arizona's 8th Congressional District seat in 2024. Republican U.S. Rep. Debbie Lesko, 64, who has represented the district since 2018, announced that she won't seek re-election last month ahead of the conclusion of her term in January 2025.

Chansley pleaded guilty to a felony charge of obstructing an official proceeding in connection to the January 6 U.S. Capitol insurrection and was sentenced to 41 months in prison in November 2021, serving about 27 months before being transferred to a Phoenix halfway house in March 2023. The Arizona native was among the more than 700 people sentenced in relation to the riots stemming from protests over former President Donald Trump's loss to current President Joe Biden in the 2020 presidential election, but arguably the most recognizable figure, having worn a horned fur hat and face paint while carrying a spear and bullhorn.

Chansley had previously referred to himself as the 'QAnon Shaman' but has since publicly disavowed the conspiracy-theory movement.