Jacob Chansley, recognized as the ‘QAnon Shaman’ due to his distinctive appearance during the January 6, 2021, events at the U.S. Capitol, has recently expressed his intention to run for Congress in Arizona. In an online filing submitted on Thursday, the 35-year-old Chansley, who now disavows the QAnon movement, indicated his interest in running as a Libertarian for the 8th Congressional District seat in the upcoming election.
The current representative for the district, 64-year-old Republican Debbie Lesko, announced last month that she will not seek re-election, with her term officially concluding in January 2025. Chansley, who had previously pleaded guilty to a felony charge related to obstructing an official proceeding during the Capitol insurrection, completed a 41-month prison sentence in November 2021. Having served approximately 27 months, he was subsequently transferred to a Phoenix halfway house in March 2023. Notably, Chansley is one of over 700 individuals sentenced in connection to federal crimes stemming from the Capitol riot.
While the U.S. Constitution does not expressly bar felons from holding federal office, Arizona law restricts felons from voting until they have completed their sentence and had their civil rights restored. It’s important to note that Chansley identified himself as Jacob Angeli-Chansley in the candidate statement of interest filed with the Arizona Secretary of State’s office. As this political process unfolds, it will be interesting to observe the dynamics and considerations surrounding Chansley’s candidacy.
