Chris Wakim

2006 campaign for the U.S. House of Representatives Wakim was unsuccessful in defeating incumbent Democrat Alan Mollohan in the West Virginia 1st Congressional district. The NRCC saw Mollohan's seat as being vulnerable because of allegations over his financial disclosures, investment gains, and use of earmarks.

Wakim's campaign was supported by top Republican leadership in 2006. Vice President Dick Cheney, Speaker of the House Dennis Hastert, and Representative Roy Blunt (R-MO) assisted in the unsuccessful campaign. By July 1, 2006, Wakim had $318,000 cash-on-hand.

In a 2006 interview with the Arab American Institute, Wakim discussed the details of his Gulf War service, saying his background as an Arab-American and his education were valuable to the Army. "My company specialized in desert warfare, and certainly that was a timely specialty because of the first Gulf War," he said. “I lent my expertise as a desert fighter to develop our fighting force. ...I can tell you from personal experience that once the first bullet is shot, the best-laid plans usually go by the wayside."