At Least Seven Republicans Present At Jan. 6 Capitol Protest Were Elected To Office On Tuesday

On January 6, 2021, a large mob of protesters stormed the U.S. Capitol after a speech by former President Donald Trump. Out of these protesters present at the “Stop the Steal” rally, which led to a deadly insurrection, at least seven of them have been elected to office this week. Three were elected to state legislatures, and five were elected to local positions.

According to the Huff Post, at least 57 Republican officials present at the January 6 protest will face reelection this upcoming year. Aside from those running for reelection, there were at least 16 Republican members of state houses or assemblies, seven city council members, six county commissioners, four state senators, three school board members, two mayors, two state GOP chairs, two prosecutors and a state attorney general among others.

Most Republicans present on January 6 deny ever entering the Capitol building, or participating in anything other than the rally that led to the insurrection. Matthew Lynch, a former teacher in Braintree, Massachusetts, who lost his job due to a picture shared on the internet of him standing outside the Capitol during the insurrection, has won a seat on the Braintree school board.

Despite the violence at the January 6 riot, and the legal action that many of those present faced, there are a good number of Republicans who participated who have not been asked to step down from their positions, such as, Dave LaRock of Loudoun County, Virginia and John McGuire of Goochland County, Virginia.

The other Republicans who were elected this Tuesday include Marie March, a Virginia restaurant owner, Natalie Jangula of Nampa, Idaho, Christine Ead of Watchung, New Jersey, Susan Soloway of Hunterdon County, New Jersey, and Charles Ausburger of Mansfield, Connecticut.

Article by Maggie Cole