WASHINGTON — Derrick Evans, a participant in the January 6th riot at the Capitol who later admitted to committing a felony against police officers during the incident, has lost the Republican primary race against Rep. Carol Miller in West Virginia, according to NBC News projections.
Evans, who pleaded guilty to a felony count of obstructing or impeding officers during a civil disorder, was sentenced to three months in prison in June 2022. Despite initially expressing remorse in court, Evans has since rebranded himself as a "political prisoner" and has spread conspiracy theories about the Capitol attack.
Footage from Evans' live stream on January 6th, presented during his sentencing, showed him storming the Capitol while boasting in the third person, along with his acknowledgment that his actions were unlawful.
"We're taking this country back whether you like it or not!" Evans shouted at police officers. "Patriots ain’t being quiet anymore. Patriots ain’t gonna stand down to tyranny anymore! Patriots ain’t gonna stand down for stolen elections anymore!" He also speculated that then-President Donald Trump would pardon those involved in the attack.
Text messages sent by Evans indicated that he was aware of the illegality of his actions. "Should I delete it?" Evans asked in a text after the incident, referring to evidence of his actions.
Evans' campaign emails highlighted his actions on January 6th as a selling point for his candidacy, including using misleading images in his ads. Despite his efforts, Miller, a Trump supporter, secured the primary win.
Evans is one of over 1,400 defendants charged in connection with the January 6th attack, with more than 1,000 convictions and over 500, including Evans, sentenced to periods of incarceration. Miller, who aligned with Trump in her votes, is expected to win re-election in the heavily Republican 1st Congressional District of West Virginia.