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- Jacob Chansley, or the "QAnon shaman," became an infamous symbol of the January 6 attack on Congres.
- Chansley apologized and was recently released from prison after serving more than two years.
- Now he wants to run for Congress.
Jacob Chansley would like to return to the scene of his crime.
Chansley rose to American infamy as the "QAnon shaman," becoming the face of the January 6, 2021 seige on the US Capitol, which sent congressional lawmakers scrambling in fear for the exits.
Now he thinks he might like to work in the building he attacked.
Chansley is considering running for a US Congress seat in the 2024 election, representing his home state of Arizona.
He recently filed his initial paperwork with Arizona's Secretary of State's Office, indicating that he planned to run as a Libertarian for the state's 8th congressional District, The Arizona Republic reported.
Republican Rep. Debbie Lesko now holds the seat for the district, which is made up of suburbs surrounding Phoenix. Lesko recently announced she would retire in January instead of seeking reelection in 2024.
So, the race is now on for her seat. Notable candidates thus far include Blake Masters, who failed to cinch a seat in the Senate in 2022, and Abe Hamadeh, who lost his race to be Arizona's attorney general the same year.
One of the first rioters to breach the Capitol, Chansley issued an apology after pleading guilty to his crimes. He served 27 months behind bars in a 41-month sentence. Once released, he suggested that he wanted to reverse his guilty plea.
Though as a convicted felon he can't vote, that doesn't prevent him from running for office.