Congresswoman Carol Miller has held off a challenge from convicted Jan. 6 riot participant Derrick Evans to win the Republican primary for her U.S. House seat in West Virginia.
DecisionDesk HQ called the victory for Miller over Evans in the 1st congressional district. She will try to win her fourth term in November.
Miller focused on her own accomplishments and endorsements during her campaign, paying little attention to Evans. Not that it was easy.
Evans verbally attacked Miller with nearly every campaign email that he sent out over the past month that included name-calling and reinforcing his appreciation of former President Donald Trump.
Miller expressed her gratitude in a statement following the primary victory.
“I’m thankful to represent my wild and wonderful state in Washington," Miler said, “and I will continue to work to make West Virginia the best place to live, work, and raise a family.”
Evans was arrested two days after the Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the U.S. Capitol and resigned from his West Virginia House of Delegates seat a month before the 2021 legislative session. Evans served three months in prison after pleading guilty to a felony civil disorder charge. At his sentencing, Evans apologized for his actions, but he did an about-face upon leaving prison. He began portraying himself as a victim of a politically motivated prosecution.
Both Evans and Miller are huge backers of former President Trump, but that's where the similarities may end.
Miller has kept a low profile compared to some of her more outspoken colleagues since becoming the third woman from West Virginia elected to Congress in 2018. The 73-year-old bison farmer and small business owner also served six terms in the West Virginia House of Delegates. Her father is the late U.S. Rep. Samuel Devine of Ohio.
In 2022, Miller received 66% of the vote in a five-candidate GOP primary en route to winning her third term in Congress. This time, Evans, 39, was her only opponent.
Evans once called himself a Democrat, finishing sixth out of seven candidates in a state House primary in 2016. He then switched to the Libertarian Party in the general election and finished last among five candidates.
In the campaign against Miller, Evans has called her a “commie RINO” who “refused to stand and fight with President Trump,” as well as an “undocumented Democrat.” Miller was aligned with Trump in nearly 100% of her House votes while the former president was in office.rt.
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