One man was a Capitol Police officer. The other rioted on Jan. 6. They're both running for Congress

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- For Derrick Evans, being portion of the mob that stormed the U.S. Capitol wasn’t enough. The erstwhile West Virginia lawmaker wants to marque his way to the halls of Congress permanent.

On the different broadside of the metallic barricades that day, Police Officer Harry Dunn couldn't basal what helium saw arsenic helium defended the Capitol and its inhabitants from rioters connected Jan. 6, 2021. Ultimately, the Maryland nonmigratory watched lawmakers helium had protected ballot to acquit erstwhile President Donald Trump and contradict the unit and trauma that led to the deaths of immoderate of his chap officers.

On Tuesday, Evans and Dunn volition marque bids for U.S. House seats successful their respective authorities primaries. They travel into the election with dramatically antithetic interpretations astir what happened that day, and their show successful Tuesday's primaries successful West Virginia and Maryland could hint astatine whether voters' opinions astir the onslaught and its meaning person changed implicit time.

In terrorizing the Capitol for an full afternoon, rioters wielded pipes, bats and carnivore spray. They utilized flagpoles arsenic weapons, brutally bushed constabulary officers, chanted that they wanted to bent Vice President Mike Pence, broke done the solid and busted done doors arsenic lawmakers frantically evacuated. A Georgia antheral bragged that helium “fed” a constabulary serviceman to the mob. More than 100 constabulary officers were injured, galore beaten and bloodied. At slightest 9 radical who were determination died during and aft the rioting, including a pistillate rioter who was changeable and killed by police.

More than 1,350 radical person been charged with national crimes related to the Capitol riot. Over 850 of them person been sentenced — astir two-thirds received situation presumption ranging from a fewer days to 22 years.

The 2 candidacies “symbolize a displacement connected the portion of the 2 large parties regarding their committedness to instrumentality and order,” said Timothy Naftali, a elder researcher astatine Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs.

It's remarkable, Naftali said, that connected the aforesaid day, a erstwhile constabulary serviceman could go a Democratic nominee portion Republicans could “select an unrepentant felon” successful Evans, who “proudly displays the information that helium violated the instrumentality connected Jan. 6.”

“That is simply a divided surface that 1 mightiness not person been capable to ideate 15 years ago," helium said.

While Evans is seen arsenic a longshot to unseat an established incumbent and doesn’t person the fundraising vantage Dunn enjoys successful Maryland, their candidacies astatine slightest rise the anticipation that they could service unneurotic portion holding starkly antithetic views of the unit and demolition of Jan. 6. But adjacent if Dunn wins and Evans loses, he’d beryllium serving alongside dozens of Republicans who person travel to presumption the defendants arsenic “hostages.”

Dunn, a 40-year-old Democrat, resigned past December from the Capitol Police aft much than 15 years of service. He was 4 years abbreviated of pension eligibility.

“I’m moving for Congress due to the fact that the forces that spurred that convulsive onslaught connected January 6th are inactive astatine enactment successful our state today, and arsenic a patriotic American, I judge it is my work to measurement up and support our democracy," Dunn said.

Dunn leads each candidates successful fundraising by wide margins successful Maryland's 3rd District race, with $4.6 cardinal raised and $714,000 currency connected hand, according to his latest run concern study with the Federal Election Commission.

Evans, a 39-year-old Republican and avid Trump supporter, calls himself the lone elected authoritative who “had the courage” to basal down efforts to temporarily halt certification of President Joe Biden’s 2020 predetermination victory. He livestreamed himself connected Facebook cheering connected what helium described arsenic a “revolution.”

Evans was arrested 2 days aft the riot and resigned from his West Virginia House of Delegates spot a period earlier the 2021 legislative session. He pleaded blameworthy to a felony civilian upset complaint and served 3 months successful prison. At his sentencing hearing, Evans apologized for his actions, but helium did an about-face upon leaving prison. He began portraying himself arsenic a unfortunate of a politically motivated prosecution.

Evans erstwhile called himself a Democrat, finishing sixth retired of 7 candidates successful a authorities House superior successful 2016. He past switched to the Libertarian Party successful the wide predetermination and finished past among 5 candidates.

Evans is taking connected West Virginia 1st Congressional District Rep. Carol Miller, besides a large Trump backer. In 2022, Miller received 66% of the ballot successful a five-candidate GOP superior en way to winning her 3rd word successful Congress.

Miller is focused connected her ain accomplishments and endorsements, not immoderate disapproval from Evans oregon his presumption arsenic a Jan. 6 defendant.

“I don’t deliberation astir him astatine all,” she said.

Dunn is among astir 2 twelve Democrats moving successful Maryland’s 3rd Congressional District, wherever incumbent Democrat John Sarbanes is not seeking reelection. The heavy Democratic jurisdiction stretches betwixt Baltimore and the nation’s capital.

Trump and New York Rep. Elise Stefanik person referred to Jan. 6 defendants who went to situation arsenic “hostages,” reflecting a shifting code among immoderate conservatives toward the convulsive effort to overturn the predetermination result. Evans wrote a 2023 publication titled “Political Prisoner: The Untold Story of January 6th.”

“I benignant of deliberation it fits into the wide taxable of what's viewed arsenic accepted governmental behaviour among immoderate Republicans successful the 2020s that astir apt wouldn't person been the lawsuit 10-20 years ago," said Scott Crichlow, an subordinate governmental subject prof astatine West Virginia University. "Specifically, I deliberation it fits into the wide Derrick Evans sphere of behavior. But besides that seems to much and much benignant of fit, with astatine slightest among immoderate Republicans, what you privation to spot candidates doing and saying today.”

Later this month, different convicted Jan. 6 defendant, operation superintendent Chuck Hand, is moving successful a GOP U.S. House superior successful southwest Georgia’s 2nd District. Hand faces 3 different Republicans connected May 21 for the close to instrumentality connected longtime Democratic incumbent Sanford Bishop. Hand and his wife, Mandy Robinson-Hand, were convicted of misdemeanor parading and picketing astatine the Capitol. Both were sentenced to 20 days successful national prison.

Both Hand and Evans echo mendacious claims inactive made by Trump that the 2020 predetermination was stolen.

Dunn is repulsed by specified rhetoric.

“I won’t beryllium connected the sidelines portion Donald Trump and his MAGA allies successful Congress effort to teardrop our state apart,” helium said, referring to Trump's “Make America Great Again” slogan.

How overmuch legitimacy determination is to rioters' candidacies remains to beryllium seen. None of those seeking nationalist bureau person gained overmuch traction with voters truthful far.

In New Hampshire, Capitol riot suspect Jason Riddle plans to tally successful a crowded GOP superior for the state's 2nd District U.S. House seat. The campaigner filing play for the Sept. 10 superior is successful aboriginal June. Incumbent Democratic Rep. Annie Kuster announced successful March that she won't question a seventh term. Riddle was sentenced to 90 days successful situation for helping himself to immoderate vino from a lawmaker’s liquor furniture and stealing a Senate process publication that helium aboriginal sold.

In Arizona, Jacob Chansley, the spear-carrying rioter whose horned fur hat, bare thorax and look overgarment made him 1 of the riot's much recognizable figures, served astir 27 months of a 41-month sentence. He hoped to tally arsenic a Libertarian successful Arizona’s 8th Congressional District spot but failed to conscionable a deadline to crook successful required petition signatures to get his sanction connected the ballot.

Tuesday's primaries successful Maryland and West Virginia volition connection a much tangible test.

“On the 1 hand, Evans is looking astatine it arsenic thing to beryllium arrogant of. Dunn’s looking astatine it arsenic thing that should ne'er hap again,” said Crichlow. “And successful that way, these 2 campaigns truly bash benignant of seizure fundamentally antithetic perspectives astir the past fewer years successful authorities and what authorities volition look similar going forward.”