Former January 6 panel investigator runs for Senate Missouri

John F. Woodresigns as senior researcher at House last week The January 6 committee began bidding on Wednesday to run independently for the US Senate in Missouri, he confirmed to CBS News.

According to a spokesperson for Secretary of State Missouri, Wood needs to collect 10,000 signatures or 2% of the number of people who voted in the last Senate election, whichever is less, in order to participate in the vote. there is. .. The deadline is August 1st. 

"I really thought it was important to have a third option," he told CBS News in an interview. 

Wood will be competing in a public race to retire from Republican Senator Roy Brandt's seat. In the 50/50 Senate, both parties are fighting teeth and nails to hold all seats possible. Mr Wood said he plans to negotiate with Republicans if elected, and the polls he saw show that Brandt and long-time Senator John Danforth's veins are the mainstream Republican options. He said he was showing a desire. Danforth publicly called on Wood to participate in the race. 

Currently, Republicans are trapped in a malicious primary seat. Candidates include former Governor Eric Greatens, lawyer Eric Schmidt, US Congressmen Vicky Heartsler and Billy Long, Missouri Senator Protem Dave Schatz and St. Louis LawyerMark Macroski 

In a recent poll, Greitens increased by 9 points in a poll from the CBS-affiliated KMOV / Survey USA in May. Did. 

Greatens resignedin 2018 while facing accusations of sexual assault in an out-of-marriage case. Since then, his current ex-wifehas accused him of physically abusingand submitting it to the court as "unstable." 

Greatens denied the allegations. 

Wood believes that Greatens had the best chance of winning the Republican Primary Association on August 2nd. 

"I think America is more divided than ever in my life, and my party, the Republican Party, released ad hunting just a few days ago, a shameful former governor. There isn't as much evidence as Missouri who seems to be trying to nominate ... a member of his own party, "Wood said. 

Greatens announced earlier this month an ad proclaiming to "hunt" RINOs or just-named Republicans while holding their guns.  

Major Democratic candidates include Lucas Kunse, a US marine veteran, Tordi Bush Valentine, a beer heir to Anhoiser Bush, and Spencer, a businessman from St. Louis.・ Toroda is included. Mr Wood said the Democratic candidates will follow the instructions of leaders Chuck Schumer and Nancy Peroshi. 

Both national and state Republicans are worried about Greitens, andPolitico {64 said last week a GOP-related SuperPAC called ShowMeValues ​​was $ 1 million against Greitens. We have started a considerable amount of advertising. } 

Former President Donald Trump, who holds various records as a king maker in the middle of this year, has not issued approval. However, according toPolitico 

Wood, Kimberly Gilfoil, the fiancé of his son Donald Trump Jr., is the national chair of the Greatens campaign. increase. House Select Committee investigating theJanuary 6 attackagainst the US Capitol. He took the lead at the June 16 hearing, with conservative lawyer John Eastman on Greg Jacob, chief adviser to former Vice President Mike Pence, and conservative lawyer Michael Lutig. Asked about plans to propose alternative electors. Luttig stated thatEastman "had no basis for the theory supported by the US constitution or law." 

Wood admits that Trump is still popular in his state, but admits that what happened on January 6 is "a tragedy and should not be repeated". He added that he thought there were a lot of voters. ..

Wood said he wasn't thinking about his political future when he got a job working on his committee. He said he took on the job because it was "the right thing".

He left the committee last week.