GOP Jews happy as Capitol rioter accused of antisemitism defeated in WV primary

The Republican Jewish Coalition is celebrating after a candidate it endorsed in West Virginia’s congressional primary beat out a challenger accused of antisemitism.

Carol Miller, who has represented West Virginia’s first district since 2019, managed to stave off a challenge from Derrick Evans, who served a three-month jail sentence after livestreaming himself participating in the storming of the US Capitol.

“Republican voters in West Virginia and Nebraska soundly rejected extremist candidates,” the RJC says in a statement.

Derrick Evans exits the Sidney L. Christie US Courthouse and Federal Building after being arraigned, January 8, 2021, in Huntington, West Virginia. (Sholten Singer/The Herald-Dispatch via AP, File)

While the statement does not mention Evans by name, it appears to allude to past comments he has made questioning if Jews were behind the January 6 insurrection.

In February, Evans appeared on the show of far-right streamer Stew Peters and appeared to endorse the idea that Israel may have “been behind January 6.” He added that “whether the Jews stole the election” was a good question to ask.

“Let there be no doubt: if you don’t stand with the Jewish community if you don’t stand with Israel, the RJC will work to defeat you,” the group says.