Michigan GOP candidate charged for role in Capitol riot

Candidate Arrested Michigan (The Flint Journal, MLive.com)
Candidate Arrested Michigan (The Flint Journal, MLive.com)

Ryan Kelley, one of five Republican candidates for Michigan governor, was charged with a misdemeanor Thursday for his role in the 2021 postelection riot at the U.S. Capitol.

Kelley was arrested in western Michigan and awaits a court hearing in Grand Rapids, FBI spokeswoman Mara Schneider said.

There was no immediate comment from Kelley's campaign.

Kelley's participation in the Jan. 6 insurrection has been widely known. In a court document, federal investigators filed photos of him in a baseball cap worn backward, trying to rally the pro-Donald Trump crowd.

Kelley is one of five candidates on the Aug. 2 Republican primary ballot. The winner will face Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer.