When Insurrection Becomes a Campaign Platform

Jan 6 Rioter Jake Lang wants to represent Florida. And he just might win.

“We are taking over the Capitol again.”

That’s not a statement from a fringe message board or a January 6th group chat—it’s a campaign slogan. Jake Lang, who was charged with assaulting police during the January 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol and later pardoned by Donald Trump, has announced he’s running for the United States Senate in Florida. He’s aiming to fill the seat vacated by Marco Rubio.

Let’s be clear: a man who once fought law enforcement officers in the halls of Congress now wants to walk those halls as a lawmaker.

And legally, he might be able to.

How Did We Get Here?

The Constitution sets a low bar for Senate eligibility: be 30 years old, a U.S. citizen for nine years, and reside in the state when elected. That’s it. No mention of criminal convictions. No exclusion for violent insurrectionists.

Even the 14th Amendment—added after the Civil War to prevent Confederate leaders from holding federal office—requires judicial or congressional enforcement to bar someone for “engaging in insurrection.” So unless Congress acts or a court rules against him, Jake Lang is constitutionally in the clear.

But morally and democratically, this is anything but clear.

What Makes Lang Different

There’s precedent for controversial candidates and even convicted felons running for office. Eugene V. Debs ran for president from prison in 1920. Joe Arpaio, convicted of contempt of court and pardoned by Trump, ran for Senate in 2018. Even Marion Barry made a political comeback after serving time.

But Jake Lang isn’t running on a platform of redemption or reform. He’s running on defiance. He’s not distancing himself from January 6—he’s doubling down on it. He isn’t asking for forgiveness. He’s asking for votes because of what he did, not despite it.

Lang has raised money for other January 6 defendants and talked openly about forming a militia while behind bars. His campaign is an extension of that radical agenda, not a departure from it.

A Troubling Trend

Lang is not alone. A small but vocal number of January 6 participants have declared or are considering political campaigns.

Derrick Evans, a former West Virginia state delegate who stormed the Capitol, is now running for U.S. Senate.

Jason Riddle, who proudly posted photos from inside the Capitol on Jan. 6, ran for Congress in New Hampshire—twice.

Enrique Tarrio, former leader of the Proud Boys and convicted of seditious conspiracy, has floated plans to run for office after his pardon.

Couy Griffin, the New Mexico county commissioner convicted for his role on January 6, was removed from office under the 14th Amendment’s Disqualification Clause.

What’s happening here is not just a series of isolated stunts. It’s a coordinated effort to legitimize a violent, anti-democratic movement by wrapping it in the American flag and the trappings of electoral politics.

The Normalization of Extremism

That people like Jake Lang believe they can run for office—and in some corners, even win—is a symptom of a much deeper problem.

January 6 was supposed to be a national turning point. For a moment, it seemed like the country would unite around the idea that political violence is unacceptable. But just over four years later, we’re watching former insurrectionists rebrand themselves as patriotic candidates, cheered on by parts of the same base that once chanted "Hang Mike Pence."

The danger isn’t just that these candidates exist. It’s that the political system isn’t equipped—or, in some cases, isn’t willing—to stop them. The legal ambiguity of the 14th Amendment leaves too much room for interpretation. Meanwhile, party gatekeepers who once enforced basic standards of conduct have been sidelined in favor of performative loyalty to Trumpism.

The result? A new pipeline: from the Capitol steps with zip ties to the campaign trail with fundraising websites.

Why This Matters

Some will say this is democracy at work—let the voters decide. But democracy is not a suicide pact. It depends on a shared agreement that the rules matter and that violence is not an acceptable substitute for ballots.

When that agreement breaks down, the system doesn’t correct itself automatically. It decays.

Allowing January 6 defendants to campaign for positions of power isn’t just tone-deaf; it’s dangerous. It tells the next would-be rioters that not only will they avoid consequences, but they might even get a campaign boost.

It tells law enforcement, judges, and even lawmakers that their authority can be openly challenged by people who later claim the moral high ground.

And worst of all, it tells the rest of us that the system doesn't really mind if the Capitol is under siege, so long as you clean up nice before your next run.

The Line We Must Draw

This is not about partisanship. It’s not about left vs. right. It’s about whether we believe in democratic government or not.

Jake Lang should not be a candidate. He should be a cautionary tale.

At some point, we must decide what counts as disqualifying behavior in a democracy. If participating in an attack on the peaceful transfer of power doesn’t meet that threshold, then what does?

Running for Senate is not a constitutional right. It’s a privilege. And that privilege should not be extended to those who’ve actively tried to dismantle the very institution they now seek to join.

Lang may be legally eligible. But he is morally unfit.

If this resonates, share it widely. Democracy depends not just on ballots but on standards.

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Bibliography:

• The Guardian – “Man charged in US Capitol attack announces run for Senate in Florida” https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/mar/18/senate-florida-january-6-rioter-jake-lang

• Newsweek – “Jan. 6 Defendant Wants Marco Rubio’s Senate Seat: ‘Taking Over Capitol’” https://www.newsweek.com/jan-6-defendant-wants-marco-rubios-senate-seat-taking-over-capitol-2046853

• HuffPost – “Man Pardoned Over Jan. 6 Capitol Attack Announces Run For U.S. Senate” https://www.huffpost.com/entry/man-pardoned-over-jan-6-capitol-attack-announces-run-for-us-senate_n_67d9ac90e4b004def09d433e

• Wikipedia – “Derrick Evans (politician)” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Derrick_Evans_(politician)

• Wikipedia – “Couy Griffin” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Couy_Griffin

• New York Post – “Pardoned Proud Boys leader Enrique Tarrio... plans to run for office” https://nypost.com/2025/02/06/us-news/pardoned-proud-boys-leader-enrique-tarrio-meets-trump-plans-to-run-for-office/

• Wikipedia – “Jason Riddle” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jason_Riddle