Army veteran Sam Brown, endorsed by Trump, will challenge Democratic Sen. Jacky Rosen in a highly competitive Senate race.
Sam Brown, a retired Army veteran, has secured the Republican nomination for Nevada’s Senate seat, positioning himself for a high-stakes showdown against Democratic Senator Jacky Rosen in November. The race is expected to be one of the most fiercely contested Senate battles of the year, with both parties focusing on Nevada as a critical swing state.
Brown’s victory in the primary marks a major win for the GOP, as Republicans have long viewed Nevada as a key opportunity to flip a Senate seat, especially given the state’s political landscape, where former President Donald Trump consistently outperformed President Joe Biden in polls. Following his win, Brown expressed confidence in the race, noting that polling has shown him neck-and-neck with Rosen, making the contest a top-tier battleground for control of the Senate.
The competition is expected to intensify as both candidates prepare for the general election. Rosen, in her statement, quickly labeled Brown a “MAGA extremist” and accused him of tailoring his views to appeal to the far-right, a sentiment echoed by the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee. The messaging is aimed at highlighting the ideological divide between the two candidates.
Brown, who lost the 2022 Republican Senate primary, had already been leading in fundraising and polling for months. However, it was his late endorsement by Donald Trump that gave his campaign a significant boost. Trump publicly praised Brown as a “fearless American patriot” and a “Purple Heart recipient,” solidifying his position as the GOP candidate in the race. The endorsement was seen as a critical factor in clinching the nomination.
With Brown securing the nomination, the focus now shifts to the general election. Rosen is expected to focus her campaign on portraying Brown as a product of extreme Republican politics, while Brown will likely capitalize on his military background and Trump’s backing to energize conservative voters. As both candidates prepare for a competitive fall campaign, Nevada’s Senate race will undoubtedly be a key battleground in the fight for control of the U.S. Senate.
The primary also saw other notable candidates, including Jim Marchant, who previously ran for state secretary of state in 2022, although Marchant was not considered a major contender for the Senate seat. Brown’s refusal to participate in some primary debates was criticized but reflected his dominant position in the race, a position he hopes to maintain heading into the fall.