性视界传媒

A Longview man who said he regrets his role in the violent riot at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, is running for Congress against incumbent Rep. Nathaniel Moran.

Ryan Nichols, who was among 1,500 riot participants pardoned by President Donald Trump, announced during a downtown news conference Wednesday his bid to represent Texas性视界传媒� First Congressional District in the U.S. House.

The Republican primary is next year.

性视界传媒淚 am not here for myself,性视界传媒� Nichols, 34, said during the news conference. 性视界传媒淚 am here to serve you selflessly courageous and with the same grit that defines this great region.性视界传媒�

Joined by family members, Nichols spoke to the media for more than 20 minutes and outlined his priorities for East Texas. He said he wants people to know that there性视界传媒檚 more to him than what happened Jan. 6, and he性视界传媒檚 here to serve all East Texans regardless of their political party affiliation.

性视界传媒淔or over four years, I性视界传媒檝e been waiting to get out there and share my side of the story and also share who I am,性视界传媒� he said. 性视界传媒淚性视界传媒檓 a father, I性视界传媒檓 a husband, I性视界传媒檓 a search and rescue specialist. I性视界传媒檓 a business owner. I性视界传媒檓 a patriotic American, and I just want to help people here in America.性视界传媒�

Nichols said he is a strong supporter of agriculture and wants to secure the southern border, ensure that veterans receive proper healthcare and improve healthcare in rural areas. He also said he stands with the oil and gas industry and supports manufacturing.

性视界传媒淚 will fight to bring companies like US Steel back to places like Lone Star,性视界传媒� he said.

Of particular note to East Texans is that Nichols said he is strongly opposed to the possible sale of Lake O性视界传媒� the Pines water to the Dallas-Fort Worth area. He said he would do everything he could to stop the deal and said Moran hasn性视界传媒檛 done enough.

He said he isn性视界传媒檛 here to 性视界传媒渂ash性视界传媒� Moran but believes there性视界传媒檚 a better way to represent East Texas. He said he hopes to work with people to 性视界传媒渕ake East Texas great again.性视界传媒�

性视界传媒淚性视界传媒檓 here to serve. I性视界传媒檓 here to protect. I性视界传媒檓 here to help. I want to know the issues in East Texas, and I plan on voting with the will of the people,性视界传媒� he said. 性视界传媒淲hat the will of the people here in District 1 in Texas want is what性视界传媒檚 going to be voted on in Washington, D.C., and you can hold me to that.性视界传媒�

Nichols was sentenced to more than five years in prison for his role in the Jan. 6 riot before being pardoned in January.

Nichols, a former Marine, and fellow former Marine Alex Kirk Harkrider of Carthage traveled from Longview to Washington, D.C. in January 2021 because they believed the 2020 presidential election was fraudulent, according to court records.

At the U.S. Capitol, Nichols carried a crowbar and led a crowd of people who pushed police officers, and he used pepper spray against officers, court records show.

Nichols entered the Capitol through a broken window, stood on a window ledge and used a bullhorn to tell a crowd of people: 性视界传媒淕et in the building, this is your country, get in the building ... This is the second revolution,性视界传媒� 性视界传媒淭his is not a peaceful protest性视界传媒� and 性视界传媒淚f you have a weapon, you need to get your weapon!性视界传媒� In one video, he called for politicians to be drug through the streets of Washington, D.C.

The night of Jan. 6, 2021, in a video from a Washington hotel room, Nichols said he 性视界传媒渟tands for violence,性视界传媒� but on Wednesday, he gave a different message, saying he regrets the 性视界传媒渢rauma that was passed down from myself and others onto other people.性视界传媒�

性视界传媒淚 regret not going a different route, maybe using my words and not using my actions,性视界传媒� he said. 性视界传媒淰iolence has no place in the political spectrum. We have to use peace. We have to be peaceful. We have to go rewrite the laws. We have to use our voice and stand in front of the podiums and go vote in the box.性视界传媒�

FBI agents arrested Nichols on Jan. 18, 2021, in Longview. In November 2023, he pleaded guilty to two felonies: obstruction of an official proceeding and assaulting, resisting or impeding certain officers. In May 2024, he was sentenced to 63 months prison followed by two years of supervised release. He was also ordered to pay a $200,000 fine.

Nichols has post-traumatic stress disorder, and his attorneys said his actions at the Capitol were a 性视界传媒淧TSD-related aberration in his law-abiding life,性视界传媒� according to court records. They noted his military service and his charitable efforts. In 2018, Nichols garnered nationwide media attention for rescuing six dogs from floodwaters during Hurricane Florence in North Carolina. He later appeared on 性视界传媒淭he Ellen DeGeneres Show.性视界传媒�

Nichols said he性视界传媒檚 more than the man in the headlines stemming from Jan. 6. He said he性视界传媒檚 a man who loves his family, served his country and a normal human being who makes mistakes.

性视界传媒淚 know some may question my past, but let me be clear: My heart has always been with those who serve, and I am here to prove that through action. I understand the struggles of East Texans because I have lived them,性视界传媒� he said.

Nichols is getting an early start on his campaign. Moran began his second term of office in January, and the general election isn性视界传媒檛 until November 2026.

Nichols said he will concede if he loses, but he expects to win, and he性视界传媒檒l do 性视界传媒渨hat is required性视界传媒� to secure an endorsement from Trump.

Nichols isn性视界传媒檛 the first Jan. 6 defendant to mount a congressional bid. Wisconsin Republican Derrick Van Orden and New York Republican George Santos both took part in Jan. 6 events and won seats in the U.S. House. Santos was removed from Congress in 2023, however, amid an ethics scandal, and he pleaded guilty to fraud and identity theft charges in August.

In 2024, Nichols wrote about how he would live his post-prison life, and the plan was posted on the Prison Professors Talent website. He said the past few years have been difficult for him, and upon his release from prison, he wanted to rebuild his relationships with his wife, Bonnie, and their children.

性视界传媒淚 will be taking my family fishing, out to eat, camping, to and from school, to sports practices and games, swimming with them in our new pool in our backyard, playing video games with my sons, going to church together at Mobberly Baptist Church where we have been members for years, going on dates with my wife weekly, riding around our neighborhood in the side by side my wife purchased, and much more,性视界传媒� Nichols wrote. 性视界传媒淭here is no making up for the time I lost with my family, but I can make sure to be a present father and husband for now on. That is my intention.性视界传媒�

He also said he wanted to start a nonprofit organization called Convicted Veterans to help incarcerated veterans grow 性视界传媒減hysically, mentally and spiritually while locked up and upon release.性视界传媒�

性视界传媒淚 understand the struggles veterans face, from the scars of battle to the challenges of transitioning back to civilian life, and I will fight to fix these issues for all veterans, ensuring they get the care, support and respect they deserve,性视界传媒� he said during the Wednesday news conference.

The treatment he received while in prison and during his trial related to Jan. 6 are part of what inspired him to run for office, he said.

性视界传媒淚 appreciate going through the process because solitary confinement and torture and abuse from this United States government taught me things that sitting here on my couch would have never taught me,性视界传媒� he said. 性视界传媒淎nd so because of this, this is why I plan on standing up for East Texas, and why standing up for Americans is important.性视界传媒�

He said he hopes people who might have preconceived ideas about who he is will give him a chance 性视界传媒� including members of Congress who were inside the Capitol on Jan. 6.

性视界传媒淚 do want to sit down and talk with members of Congress. If they want to be my friend, we can be friends and work together, but ultimately, my friends are here in East Texas, and I plan on supporting and representing the people here in East Texas,性视界传媒� Nichols said.

Nichols also said he性视界传媒檚 willing to stand for his constituents, even if that puts him at odds with Trump. Like other Americans, his stock portfolio has been negatively impacted by Trump性视界传媒檚 tariffs, but he said he believes the president is using them to ensure that America can get 性视界传媒渂ack on top性视界传媒� in terms of trade.

His father, Don Nichols, said he wants people to know who his son is at heart.

性视界传媒淚 raised him up. I know what happened on Jan. 6. I know what happened before Jan. 6,性视界传媒� he said. 性视界传媒淪ome people only know him for who he was on one day. That性视界传媒檚 not my son.性视界传媒�