{"id":167256,"date":"2026-02-16T22:37:12","date_gmt":"2026-02-16T22:37:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/167256\/"},"modified":"2026-02-16T22:37:12","modified_gmt":"2026-02-16T22:37:12","slug":"zink-running-on-january-6-record-not-away-from-it-not-willing-to-back-down-from-what-he-called-unfair-process","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/167256\/","title":{"rendered":"Zink running on January 6 record \u2013 not away from it \u2013 \u2018not willing to back down\u2019 from what he called unfair process"},"content":{"rendered":"

Ryan Zink is adamant he did nothing on January 6. The events of that day are largely what drove him to run for the Congressional seat Jodey Arrington will soon leave behind.<\/p>\n

\u201cI didn\u2019t threaten anyone. I didn\u2019t hurt anybody. I didn\u2019t damage anything. I never went in the building,\u201d Zink said.<\/p>\n

Ongoing coverage:\u00a0Learn what\u2019s coming as Lubbock Lights kicks off Texas Primary \u201826 coverage<\/a><\/p>\n

Congressional race (District 19) candidate profiles<\/p>\n

Zink was a journalism student at Texas Tech. He was in Washington D.C. along with his dad, a congressional candidate from Arizona.<\/p>\n

\u201cI believed and my dad believed that the vote was going to get contested from Arizona and that Congress was going to kick the vote back to the states, which would have been the first time in history. States would have voted down their party lines and it would have installed Donald Trump as the president. So that is what we were expecting,\u201d Zink said.<\/p>\n

One of the documents prosecutors filed said Zink was recording video of himself and said, \u201cWe knocked down the gates! We\u2019re storming the Capitol! You can\u2019t stop us!\u201d<\/p>\n

Federal official indicted him on four counts. One was dropped. A jury in D.C. found him guilty of obstruction of an official proceeding, entering a restricted building or grounds and disorderly or disruptive conduct in a restricted building or grounds.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was not a fair jury,\u201d Zink told LubbockLights.com.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo one who went to trial in DC received a fair trial on the basis of the split between Republicans and Democrats,\u201d Zink said.<\/p>\n

Zink, like all the January 6 defendants, received a presidential pardon and his case was dismissed while still on appeal.<\/p>\n

For Zink that\u2019s not the end.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen people vote for someone like me, I have lived this. I have faced the giants. \u2026 After having my constitutional rights stripped away from me for five years, I saw that there was a need in our area for somebody who is strong, somebody who\u2019s not willing to back down.\u201d Zink said.<\/p>\n

\u201cI work in oil field safety and I am in charge of auditing 55 gas plants,\u201d Zink said.<\/p>\n

Zink graduated high school in Borger. Zink never finished his degree with Texas Tech because he was hit by a drunk driver and injured his shoulder, he said.<\/p>\n

When asked if would like to finish his degree, he at first said, \u201cIf given the opportunity, I would go back and finish.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt probably does not benefit me to go finish that degree because I completely disagree with the way that media is handled today,\u201d Zink said.<\/p>\n

Unless he could follow in the footsteps of someone like Shaw Ryan or Tucker Carlson, he\u2019s not interested in the media.<\/p>\n

Carlson interviewed Zink right before LubbockLights.com talked to him. He called it \u201camazing.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cJesus is number one. Meeting my wife\u2019s number two. Having both my children are three and four and the Tucker Carlson interview\u2019s number five,\u201d Zink said.<\/p>\n

Carlson\u2019s website published a link Monday morning entitled \u201cRyan Zink on What It\u2019s Like to Disappear Into the American Gulag for Political Crimes.\u201d<\/p>\n

If elected, the priorities<\/p>\n

\u201cThe single most important thing that Americans need to be focused on is election integrity. We need to get the SAVE Act through the Senate so that we can have clear and accurate elections,\u201d Zink said.<\/p>\n

SAVE is short for Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act. Critics claim the bill could cut off legal voters \u2013 for example a woman whose married name is different from her birth certificate. Supporters claim the SAVE Act instructs states to establish a process for those whose legal names do not match their birth certificates.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think that goes hand in hand with border security. I believe that ICE [Immigration and Customs Enforcement] is doing a great job. There\u2019s been some unfortunate circumstances that have happened across the last couple of weeks, but we have to look at those cases individually,\u201d Zink said.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe responsible thing to do is to return people back to their countries that have not been properly vetted,\u201d Zink said.<\/p>\n

That issue, in turn, is tied to federal spending, he said.<\/p>\n

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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"Enriquez\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a><\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\tEnriquez says run for Congress proof American dream he wants to fight to protect is \u2018alive in West Texas\u2019<\/a><\/p>\n

\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tFebruary 16, 2026\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"Corley\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a><\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\tCorley says no one should be able to \u2018buy a congressman\u2019 as he pushes for lobbying reform, also inflation, in bid for office<\/a><\/p>\n

\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tFebruary 15, 2026\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"Barbee\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a><\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\tBarbee funding his own campaign \u2013 standing apart from other candidates on taxes, healthcare too<\/a><\/p>\n

\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tFebruary 15, 2026\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"Doctor,\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a><\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\tDoctor, farmer, veteran Donald May hopes voters send him, a self-described \u2018common citizen,\u2019 to serve in Congress<\/a><\/p>\n

\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tFebruary 15, 2026\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

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\t\t\t\t\t\tSell hopes experience working with Combest in Congress (emphasizing work on Farm Bill) will sell him to voters<\/a><\/p>\n

\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tFebruary 13, 2026\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"Roofer\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a><\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\tRoofer \u2018Fat Matt\u2019 Smith running for Congress with deep conviction \u2013 viewing everything through lens of Scripture<\/a><\/p>\n

\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tFebruary 13, 2026\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"Political\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a><\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\tPolitical consultant Newton \u2018never expected to run for office,\u2019 but he seeks county\u2019s Precinct 2 seat with focus on budgeting<\/a><\/p>\n

\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tFebruary 10, 2026\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

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\t\t\t\t\t\tPounds now running for Precinct 2 commissioner to fund volunteer fire departments, fix roads, buildings<\/a><\/p>\n

\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tFebruary 10, 2026\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"Martin\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a><\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\tMartin supports budget cuts, wants county government to be \u2018boring\u2019 again as he runs for Precinct 2 commissioner<\/a><\/p>\n

\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tFebruary 10, 2026\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

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\t\t\t\t\t\tRackler proud about stand on taxes, Expo Center \u2013 wants to continue representing people in county\u2019s Precinct 4<\/a><\/p>\n

\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tFebruary 6, 2026\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"Seay\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a><\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\tSeay wants his old seat back as Precinct 4 commissioner \u2013 wants to make sure public safety is supported<\/a><\/p>\n

\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tFebruary 6, 2026\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

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\t\t\t\t\t\tFormer constable Peterson wants to return to county as Precinct 4 commissioner after navigating life\u2019s ups and downs<\/a><\/p>\n

\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tFebruary 6, 2026\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"Learn\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a><\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\tLearn what\u2019s coming as Lubbock Lights kicks off Texas Primary \u201826 coverage<\/a><\/p>\n

\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tFebruary 3, 2026\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

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\t\t\t\t\t\tParrish seeking third term as county judge, lists accomplishments but adds \u2018We\u2019ve got some more work to go\u2019<\/a><\/p>\n

\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tFebruary 3, 2026\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"Houck\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a><\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\tHouck moved family back to Texas for way of life, now seeking office as county judge, saying leadership needed<\/a><\/p>\n

\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tFebruary 3, 2026\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

\u201cI think that we\u2019re on spending life support that we have got to drop everything that is not essential and pay down our debts. You know, we\u2019re hemorrhaging a trillion dollars just to pay the interest on our spending,\u201d Zink said.<\/p>\n

\u201cSending money to every country that basically needed it \u2013 that\u2019s not America first. We have to start focusing on our debt,\u201d Zink said.<\/p>\n

The national debt is currently more than $38.6 trillion dollars, according to the Federal Treasury website.<\/p>\n

\u201cA majority of the executive orders that Donald Trump has put in place \u2013 we need to make sure that those get codified in law,\u201d Zink said.<\/p>\n

Zink wanted to especially emphasize his support for veterans who need healthcare. Zink wants to expand exceptions so that more veterans can keep their benefits without a reduction or their healthcare costs.<\/p>\n

\u201cI am in 100 percent full support of the Major Richard Starr Act,\u201d Zink said.<\/p>\n

\n\tRelated\n<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

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