Former President Donald Trump on Sunday night made a last-minute endorsement of retired Army Capt. Sam Brown in the Nevada Republican Senate primary, ending speculation about whether he would back the Senate Republican candidate or a former ambassador who served in the Trump administration in Tuesday’s primary.
In a post on his Truth Social platform, Trump endorsed Brown over two other Republicans who are close allies of the former president: former ambassador to Iceland Jeff Gunter and former state legislator Jim Merchant.
“Sam Brown was a fearless American patriot and Purple Heart recipient who demonstrated ‘sheer grit’ and courage in the face of enemies foreign and domestic,” Trump said. I have written.
“I’ve gotten to know Sam and his beautiful wife Amy (U.S. Army 1st Lt.) and I know they will make us all proud in the next chapter of their lives as they serve together,” he said. I wrote this in another post“Sam has already proven his love for his country by making the comeback of a lifetime despite suffering a terrible injury. Sam Browne has my full support – he will never let you down!”
The endorsement is especially notable given that Gunter served as ambassador during the Trump administration and was seeking to prove he was more loyal to the former president than Brown, who initially distanced himself from Trump.
Meanwhile, the National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) has endorsed Brown throughout the primary.
Brown thanked Trump for his support. Write on X“President Trump, I thank you for your leadership. I am honored to have your support, and I look forward to working with you to deliver a better future for Nevadans and all Americans when we win together in November.”
Ahead of Trump’s rally in Las Vegas on Sunday, there was speculation that the former president might make a last-minute pick to unseat Sen. Jacky Rosen (D-Nevada) ahead of Tuesday’s primary election. The presumptive Republican presidential nominee has often made endorsements in what are expected to be hotly contested Republican Senate primaries, but has notably refrained from speaking out about Nevada.
But at a rally attended by both Gunter and Brown, Trump called the retired Army captain a “good guy” but refrained from endorsing him.
Trump’s support for Brown isn’t entirely shocking, given that many in the GOP, particularly Senate Republicans, have backed Brown, a retired Army officer who was seen as the front-runner in Tuesday’s race, even though the former president remained out of the race.
But Trump’s support came late in the primary election, with many Nevadans having already cast their votes early.
Nevada is one of the few states that will determine control of the presidential and senate elections this fall. Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nevada) narrowly defeated Republican Adam Laxalt for re-election in the 2022 presidential election.
The nonpartisan election forecasting site Cook Political Report rates Rosen’s seat as a “50-50” chance.
