RENO, Nev. (AP) — Former President Donald Trump on Sunday endorsed retired Capt. Sam Brown in Nevada’s Senate race, beating a wide field of primary candidates who is widely considered the favorite and has aligned himself with the former president.
Trump’s endorsement came on Truth Social after he spent the day in Las Vegas, where he held a rally attended by several of the Republican Senate candidates. He said Brown is a “FEARLESS AMERICAN PATRIOT,” pointing to his Purple Heart status. He also said Brown will fight “tirelessly” for several of his priorities, including border security and economic growth.
The winner of Tuesday’s Republican primary will face Democratic U.S. Sen. Jacky Rosen of Nevada, a moderate first-term senator who has become one of Republicans’ top targets for 2024.
Republicans see the Nevada election as a crucial opportunity that could determine which party controls the U.S. Senate. Democrats have a 51-49 majority but face a arduous Senate split in 2024. They will have to defend incumbents not only in Republican states – Montana, Ohio and West Virginia – but also in several swing states, including Nevada.
Trump chose Brown over several other candidates with close ties to the former president. One of his rivals, Jeff Gunter, Trump’s former ambassador to Iceland, campaigned with the slogan “110 percent pro-Trump” and described Brown as the establishment’s choice, backed by U.S. Senator Mitch McConnell.
Jim Marchant, another candidate, ran as the Republican nominee for Nevada Secretary of State in 2022 on a platform of election denial fueled by Trump’s false claims of widespread voter fraud. In 2022, he introduced Trump on stage when the former president visited Nevada to rally supporters for close midterm elections.
The endorsement lifts Brown even further above his opponents in terms of national support. His opponents had long criticized Brown for skipping primary debates, a maneuver Trump also did when he had a significant lead over his opponents in the primaries.
Brown was a highly sought-after candidate by Republicans in Washington, who wanted to avoid a repeat of their lackluster performance in the 2022 midterm elections, when flawed GOP candidates helped Democrats win the contested elections and secure the Senate majority.
Brown made his military service central to his message during this campaign and in his unsuccessful 2022 Senate run. He often told the story of the roadside bomb in Afghanistan that scarred his face and nearly killed him, as well as the leadership skills he learned during his time in the Army.
Following her endorsement, Rosen called Brown her “extreme MAGA opponent” on X and criticized him on issues such as abortion, health care and Social Security.
