At Jan. 6 riot, he posed with Pelosi’s lectern. Now, he’s running for office
During the Jan. 6. storming of the U.S. Capitol, Adam Johnson stood apart from the crowd. He grabbed a lectern that belonged to then House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and carried it through the halls. Then the smiling photo of him, lectern in hand, rocketed around the world.
Now, five years later, Johnson, who lives in Florida, is taking advantage of that fame and infamy. The Manatee County man, 41, is running for public office.
Johnson, 41, submitted paperwork to vie for the District 6 at-large seat on the Manatee County Commission currently held by Commissioner Jason Bearden until November. Bearden has not filed to run for re-election, according to election records, and did not respond to the Bradenton Herald for comment on Thursday.
When reached for comment, Johnson, who lives in Parrish on he Gulf Coast of Florida, declined to be interviewed, instead sending his campaign website. According to that website, Johnson is a conservative who is “tired of watching MAGA principles get ignored at the local level.”
“He’s running because conservatives deserve leadership that actually fights for them,” the site states. “Real conservative leadership that exposes corruption, protects taxpayers, and puts residents over special interests.”
Johnson’s website includes harsh criticism of Bearden, a fellow Republican who has held the seat since 2022.
Next steps for ‘The Lectern Guy’
Following the events, Johnson became known as “The Lectern Guy,” a name he uses for his X account that has amassed 120,000 followers.
While Johnson was not arrested at the U.S. Capitol, he posted about the riot on social media, and Manatee County residents submitted tips that helped the FBI identify him. He was charged with participating in the attack, and later released on a $25,000 bond.
In 2022, Johnson was sentenced to 75 days in federal prison and one year of probation after pleading guilty to one count of entering or remaining in any restricted building, the Bradenton Herald previously reported.
Shortly after taking office in January 2025, President Donald Trump pardoned about 1,500 people charged or convicted with participating in the riot, including Johnson.
Johnson also filed a civil suit against Manatee County and county commissioners, except Commissioner Mike Rahn, last year. The suit alleges that the commissioners “destroyed a financial asset” by not seeking reimbursement of legal fees after former Commissioner Joe McClash’s challenge of local wetlands protections was dropped. The case is ongoing, according to court records.
Johnson wants to bring conservative values to board
Manatee County Supervisor of Elections records show Johnson filed for the District 6 seat on Tuesday. He is one of five Republican candidates running for Bearden’s seat, setting up a crowded showdown in the Republican primary election in August.
On his campaign website, Johnson criticized Bearden’s leadership.
“Right now, that seat is held by someone who’s failed to deliver conservative results. Failed to stop corruption. Failed to fix traffic. Failed to protect taxpayers,” the site states.
His campaign slogan is “Fix Manatee FAST,” with “FAST” an acronym for the pillars of his campaign — tackling fraud, affordability, sustainable growth and traffic.
“For too long, the forgotten conservative has watched county government waste money, cut corrupt deals, and ignore the problems that matter to working families. Traffic keeps getting worse. Taxes keep going up. And the insiders keep getting richer,” the site states.
“That ends when I’m elected ... I’ll expose corruption. I’ll fight for affordability,” Johnson wrote on his campaign site. “I’ll demand sustainable growth that works for residents. And I’ll fix our traffic nightmare with real solutions, not more studies.”
Johnson is set to face four other Republicans — Tony Barrett, John Calovich, Anthony Drake and Edward Ference — in the Aug. 18 Republican primary election. As of Thursday evening, candidates from other political parties have not entered the race.
This story was originally published January 10, 2026 at 5:00 AM.
