![\"Challenger](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Martin-Wamhoff.jpg\" "\\"Challenger")
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Challenger Ben Martin, left, is running against Jordan Wamhoff in the race for Madera County Supervisor in District 1.<\/p>\n
SUBMITTED PHOTOS<\/p>\n
A Madera man who was convicted of Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol breach-related charges and later pardoned by President Donald Trump is running for the county\u2019s Board of Supervisors in the June primary election.<\/p>\n
Benjamin Martin told The Bee he is proud to have stood up for Trump. He said he is focused on his campaign for Madera County supervisor and is not dwelling on the past.<\/p>\n
\u201cFor the last five or six years of my life, the media has been able to write a story about me that\u2019s not who I am,\u201d he said. \u201cOne of the neat things about this opportunity is it allows me to become the author of my story again.\u201d<\/p>\n
Martin, who worked as a real estate broker for 20 years and now farms gourmet mushrooms, never envisioned running for public office.<\/p>\n
That changed when he started receiving calls from some Madera County farmers and residents who asked him to run for the District 1 seat, which covers portions of the City of Madera as well as the Madera Ranchos and Bonnadelle Ranchos areas.<\/p>\n
One of those calls urging Martin to run for office came from the California United Water Coalition<\/a>. The Madera-based grassroots coalition was founded in 2022 by farmers and business owners to advocate for their water rights and oppose state water policies deemed restrictive.<\/p>\n A receptionist at the California United Water Coalition confirmed its endorsement of Martin, but attempts by The Bee to reach coalition representatives were unsuccessful.<\/p>\n \u201cEveryone who endorsed me knows everything about me, and they still choose me,\u201d Martin said.<\/p>\n In June 2024, a federal jury in Washington, D.C., found Martin guilty<\/a> of multiple felonies and misdemeanors<\/a> for his role in the Jan. 6 breach of the U.S. Capitol to disrupt the congressional certification of President Joe Biden\u2019s 2020 election victory.<\/p>\n Investigators accused Martin of reaching past officers and holding a door open, allowing others to enter. Chemical spray and pepper bullets were deployed to disperse the crowd, but Martin stayed for over an hour and told officers, \u201cWe are going to rise up against an oppressive government,\u201d according to the U.S. Attorney\u2019s Office.<\/p>\n Trump issued a sweeping pardon for everyone convicted of or charged with federal crimes associated with the incident on the first day of his second term in office.<\/p>\n Martin said he is proud to be a long-time supporter of Trump and is steadfast in his belief that the 2020 election was stolen \u2014 a claim which has been debunked<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m very proud of the fact that I showed up for Donald Trump, I\u2019m very much America first,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n Martin said he had some hesitation when agreeing to an interview with The Bee because he feels the media has misrepresented him in the past, but that part of running for a public office means talking openly with people.<\/p>\n Martin said one of his big priorities, if elected, is transparency and accountability. He said that includes the county budget and how much money county officials earn. Martin said he would be a proponent of spreading awareness on what\u2019s being voted on by the board and how different agenda items would impact residents.<\/p>\n Another priority of Martin\u2019s campaign is emergency services, similarly to Supervisor Jordan Wamhoff, the incumbent whom Martin is set to challenge.<\/p>\n Wamhoff has also worked as a police officer in Fresno for the past 15 years. He highlighted a 32% reduction in traffic fatalities over the past four years of his term and a revamp of the ambulance contract in Madera County, which he said improved response times from 20 minutes to 12 minutes in some areas.<\/p>\n Wamhoff said he does not take Martin seriously as a candidate, but is encouraged by the competition to get out into the community and reconnect with voters.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m not worried about him,\u201d Wamhoff said of Martin. \u201cThe only thing I\u2019m focusing on is getting my message out to voters.\u201d<\/p>\n ![\"Benjamin](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/313711043700215636_fitted.jpeg\" "\\"313711043700215636_fitted.jpeg\\"")
Benjamin Martin is running for the Madera County Supervisor District 1 seat in the 2026 primary election. Provided: Benjamin Martin Martin pardoned by Trump for his part in Jan. 6<\/p>\n![\"Jordan](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Wamhoff_fitted.jpeg\" "\\"Wamhoff_fitted.jpeg\\"")
Jordan Wamhoff, a Fresno police officer, won the Madera County supervisor for District 1 seat in 2022. MADERA COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS Martin was charged with a separate gun offense, spurred by Jan. 6 investigation<\/p>\n
![\"Challenger](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/1774512620_51_Martin-Wamhoff.jpg\" "\\"Martin-Wamhoff.jpg\\"")
Challenger Ben Martin, left, is running against Jordan Wamhoff in the race for Madera County Supervisor in District 1. SUBMITTED PHOTOS <\/p>\n