Sessler heading to D.C. to support Jan. 6 rioters and plot a 3rd run against Newhouse
Failed Central Washington congressional candidate Jerrod Sessler says he’ll travel to Washington, D.C., next week to commemorate the fourth anniversary of the Jan. 6, 2021, riots at the U.S. Capitol.
He says he’s planning to raise funds for a third campaign to try ousting U.S. Rep. Dan Newhouse after losing to him by 6 percentage points during the Nov. 5 general election.
The Sunnyside Republican is next up for reelection in 2026.
“Dan Newhouse used baseless and misleading lies about Jerrod Sessler to buy another two years as representative. Sessler is undeterred about continuing his efforts to give Central Washington the conservative they deserve,” a news release from Sessler’s campaign read.
He reportedly has meetings with the Rescue Washington Project, an advisory commission called the Department of Government Efficiency and has plans to fund raise for his next campaign.
Sessler, a Prosser businessman and former NASCAR regional circuit driver, has been vocal about his opposition to the prosecution of rioters who broke into the U.S. Capitol as Congress convened to certify the 2020 election results.
At least nine people, including five police officers, died in connection to the event. About 1,600 have been charged with federal crimes tied to Jan. 6, and at least 1,000 have been sentenced, according to NBC Washington.
The Navy veteran previously called Jan. 6 a “setup,” and has made frivolous and false claims about the results of the 2020 election. Sessler says he had attended a rally in support of then-President Donald Trump, but did not enter the Capitol building.
He reiterated his views in the news release, saying the rioters involved were “innocent Americans.” He claims the “J6 atrocity” was a facade to cover up the “theft of the 2020 presidential election” and prevent Trump from taking office after the loss.
Newhouse is one of the last two House Republicans still in office after voting to impeach Trump over his role in the Jan. 6 insurrection at the tail end of his first term.
He has been a target of Trump since, with the former president endorsing both Sessler and Tiffany Smiley in the 2024 primary election to unseat Newhouse.
If Sessler wants another shot at ousting Newhouse over his impeachment vote, he will need to file to run in May 2026 and then be a top-two finisher in the jungle primary election in August 2026.
Sessler’s first try at defeating Newhouse ended in a fourth-place finish during the 2022 primary election.
He rebounded two years later, though, placing first during the 2024 primary and outperformed fellow challenger Smiley. Despite having Trump’s endorsement, Sessler lost to Newhouse 46% to his 52%.
This story was originally published January 3, 2025 at 4:13 PM.
