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    Capitol Officer Harry Dunn, Known for Crying During Jan. 6 Testimony, Loses Maryland Primary

    Harry Dunn, the far-left Capitol Hill police officer who has cried repeatedly in public over his role in the January 6, 2021 protest, lost his bid for the Democratic nomination in Maryland’s 3rd Congressional District. Maryland state Senator Sarah Elfreth defeated Dunn and several other candidates, aided significantly by the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), whose super PAC spent over $4.2 million supporting her campaign.

    Dunn’s loss is a notable victory for right-leaning groups, demonstrating the significant impact a well-funded super PAC can have on a congressional race. AIPAC’s super PAC, United Democracy Project, spent heavily on his opponent, Elfreth, viewing her as the stronger candidate to defeat Dunn and others.

    Dunn, 40, had endorsements from former Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Rep. Adam Schiff and had out-raised all his other primary opponents. His campaign focused on leftist domestic policies, including support for Medicare for All and a refusal of corporate PAC donations. He campaigned on protecting democracy from Republican authoritarianism and combating corruption, drawing from his experiences during the January 6 protest.

    American Israel Public Affairs Committee’s (AIPAC) opposition turned Dunn’s campaign into a progressive rallying cry. Dunn criticized AIPAC for accepting massive contributions from Republican donors and for endorsing House Republicans who voted against certifying the 2020 presidential election. In a statement in early April, Dunn stated, “Candidates who receive this support accept the endorsement of an organization that has backed candidates and members of Congress who incited the rioters I fought on January 6th and tried to overthrow our democracy.”

    In the end, it seems Dunn’s public displays of emotion and complaints about his experiences on January 6 negatively impacted his campaign, leading to his defeat by Sarah Elfreth.