A Georgia Republican with a criminal record related to the January 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol has been defeated in a primary runoff for a House seat. Charles Hand lost to former Trump administration official Wayne Johnson in their contest to challenge Rep. Sanford Bishop (D-GA) in the upcoming general election on November 5, according to The Associated Press.
The election result follows a heated campaign period, during which Hand dramatically exited a primary debate earlier this month. He accused his Republican opponent, Johnson, of “orchestrating attacks on my wife,” Mandy Robinson-Hand. However, Johnson was not responsible for the attacks. Instead, it was another former Republican rival, Michael Nixon, who left the race last month and endorsed Johnson, who brought up Robinson-Hand’s criminal history.
Robinson-Hand “spent a year in jail and nine years on probation after she was convicted of a felony oxycodone charge” in 2008. Hand himself served 20 days in jail and six months on probation for his involvement in the January 6 riot. He was found guilty of illegally demonstrating inside the U.S. Capitol during the deadly events of that day. Hand admitted to breaking off a piece of metal fencing and placing it in his back pants pocket as rioters clashed with Capitol police.
Prior to his sentencing, Hand showed little remorse for his actions, telling his wife, “Like I said it was a perfect time to be a part of history!” Following Hand’s abrupt departure from their debate, Johnson commented on the incident. “I would like to assume that Chuck Hand’s departure, the way in which he did it today, was his withdrawal from the race,” Johnson told reporters, per AP. “But it certainly should cause people to pause and think about why he did it and what he was trying to get by doing it.”
As Johnson moves forward in his campaign against incumbent Rep. Sanford Bishop, the defeat of Hand highlights the challenges faced by candidates with controversial pasts, especially those linked to the January 6 insurrection.