Former West Virginia legislator charged in Capitol riot announces bid for Congress

A former West Virginia legislator who was charged in connection with the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol riot announced on Friday, which marks the two-year anniversary of the riot, that he would be running for Congress.

Derrick Evans, a former member of the West Virginia House of Delegates, pleaded guilty last March to one charge of civil disorder and was sentenced to three months in June after he livestreamed the Capitol riot and later entered the building. Evans said in a statement announcing his candidacy that he had been inside the Capitol for 10 minutes and that he had not been near the Senate chamber or the violent outbreaks that took place.

“I chose today to announce my bid for the House of Representatives because it is an important anniversary in US history. While my name will indelibly be part of it, we should also use as a chance to remind ourselves about why democracy is so important and how easily it can be threatened,” Evans said in a statement.

Evans is vying to challenge Rep. Carol Miller (R-W.Va.), who represents the 1st Congressional District in West Virginia. Miller won reelection this past November against Democrat Lacy Watson by close to 40 points. 

In addition to the state’s two House districts that will be up for reelection in 2024, West Virginia will also be home to one of the fiercest Senate battles with Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) up for reelection. 

The senator has not said whether he plans to run again, though he’s likely to face pressure from his caucus to make another Senate bid given he’s the only statewide elected Democrat in the ruby-red state.