Jacob Chansley, who was previously known as the “QAnon shaman” for his involvement in the Jan. 6 Capitol protest is running as a Libertarian candidate for Arizona’s 8th Congressional District in next year’s election.
According to The Arizona Republic, Chansley filed paperwork indicating his interest to run as a Libertarian candidate in Arizona’s 2024 general election and submitted it to the Arizona Secretary of State’s Office last Thursday.
Chansley, who also goes by Jake Angeli, earned a reputation as the “QAnon shaman” for wearing a fur-horned hat and facepaint while participating in the Jan. 6 protest in 2021 and entering the U.S. Capitol Building, according to Just the News.
After being arrested in January of 2021, Chansley was sentenced to 41 months in prison in November of the same year after he pleaded “guilty” to obstructing an official government proceeding, according to The Associated Press. After serving roughly 27 months of his 41-month sentence, Chansley was transferred to a Phoenix halfway house in March of 2023. Chansley was subsequently released from the halfway house in May.
READ MORE: Video: People are asking why Jan. 6 cops walked ‘QAnon Shaman’ through Capitol
The Associated Press reported that while the Arizona law prevents felons from being eligible to vote until their sentence is completed and their civil rights are fully restored, the United States Constitution does not prohibit felons from being elected to federal office.
In September, Chansley described himself as a “centrist libertarian” in a statement on X, formerly Twitter.
Responding to criticism from another social media user, Chansley wrote, “Love = Unity & Peace is the Prize. He added, “I’m not far right. I’m a centrist libertarian who believes in the US Constitution & Freedom.”
As a Libertarian candidate, Chansley will be running in a crowded field to replace 64-year-old Arizona Rep. Debbie Lesko, who announced last month that she will not be running for re-election, according to The Associated Press. Lesko, whose term will end in January of 2025, was elected as representative of Arizona’s 8th Congressional District in 2018.
Since Arizona’s 8th Congressional District has historically been a reliably Republican district, The Associated Press noted that the winner of the upcoming Republican primary election would have a strong opportunity to hold Lesko’s seat for many years to come.
According to The Arizona Republican, Republican candidates currently running for the 8th Congressional District include Arizona House Speaker Ben Toma; Blake Masters, a 2022 Senate candidate; state Sen. Anthony Kern, who was also present during the Capitol riot; Abe Hamadeh, a 2022 Arizona attorney general candidate; Trent Franks, who previously resigned from the seat in 2017; Seth Coates; Jimmy Rodriguez; Isiah Gallegos; Brandon Urness; and Rollie Stevens.
