RENO, Nev. — An Afghanistan war veteran and Republican running for U.S. Senate in what is expected to be one of the most-watched races of the year is expanding his campaign with his sights firmly set on the vulnerable Democratic incumbent. .
Former U.S. Army Col. Sam Brown spoke to Fox News last week after opening a new campaign headquarters in Reno, Nevada, aiming to oust incumbent Democrat Jacky Rosen and turn the Silver State into a red flag. I spoke with people involved in digital and other media.
“The energy is amazing. This is just a manifestation of the grassroots movement that we’ve been building,” Brown said after the packed pew finally emptied.
Former Trump official announces massive ‘deport everyone’ border operation as he seeks to flip key Senate seat
Republican Senate candidate Sam Brown speaks to supporters gathered at the opening of his new campaign headquarters in Reno, Nevada, on April 27, 2024. (FOX News/Brandon Gillespie)
“Sadly, people are feeling stressed. Some people are feeling hopeless. They’re looking for people to represent them and sometimes push back against their party leadership, and that’s a big energy here. I’m excited about today’s turnout.”
The National Republican Party remains optimistic about its chances of winning a Senate majority in November, with a number of high-profile states including Nevada, Arizona, Montana, West Virginia, Ohio, Michigan, Pennsylvania and Maryland.
Republicans see Brown as their best chance to flip Nevada, which has struggled in recent election cycles. In 2022, Republican Senate candidate Adam Laxalt came within 8,000 votes of defeating the Democratic incumbent.
Brown, who will face Laxalt in the 2022 Republican primary, is an experienced candidate who ran unsuccessfully for Congress in 2014 while living in Texas. But he predicts voters will head to the polls this year to support Republicans for a variety of reasons. He said Rosen did not stand up to Biden’s “failed” policies.
Republicans in battleground states overturn Trump trial judge’s ‘dangerous’ ruling
Incumbent Democratic Nevada Sen. Jacky Rosen and Republican former U.S. Army Colonel Sam Brown. (Getty Images/Sam Brown, Nevada)
“We need people who are going to represent all Nevadans, all Americans. And again, we need people who are going to represent all the Nevadans, all the Americans, and again, the issues that Biden is failing and Jacky Rosen is not providing leadership for, the border, driving inflation.” “It’s a matter of spending a lot of money and supporting families,” he said.
Brown also predicted that ongoing prosecutions against former President Trump in multiple states and Washington, D.C., will push voters to vote Republican.
“The Trump trial is just one example of how the judiciary has really become politicized. This doesn’t begin until he announces he’s running for re-election, and it seems to be motivating him to know he has it. I’m hopeful,” he said.
Brown faces what appears to be his first tough challenge from Jeffrey Gunter, a dermatologist and former Trump official who served as U.S. ambassador to Iceland from 2019 to 2021. But so far his strategy appears to be focused directly on Rosen and Biden.
Battleground Senate race intensifies as Republican party supporters are attacked by former Trump officials
Former Army Col. Sam Brown, Republican candidate for the Nevada Senate, speaks with supporters at the opening of his new campaign office in Reno on April 27, 2024. (Brandon Gillespie/Fox News)
“My record is clear. I have campaigned effectively for the past three years. The people of Nevada know who I am because I ran in the last primary. I’m consistent. My issues have never changed. When asked about Mr. Gunter, I said Mr. Brown is a pro-American No. 1 candidate and I am very conservative. .
“This is an indictment against Jacky Rosen. This is an indictment against the Biden administration and their policies that are not benefiting the people of Nevada.”
Republican Nevada Senate candidate Jeff Gunter, former U.S. ambassador to Iceland (U.S. Embassy in Iceland)
Regarding Brown’s comments, Rosen campaign spokeswoman Johanna Warshaw told Fox News Digital that the senator is “a nationally recognized candidate with a record of political independence and a record of bipartisan service to Nevada.” He is considered one of the most bipartisan and effective senators.”
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
“While extreme MAGA Republicans are busy tearing each other apart in divisive and costly primaries, Sen. Rosen is focused on communicating directly to voters that he is working to fight for the people of Nevada. There is.”
The primary election will be held on Tuesday, June 11th.
Election analysts characterize this race as either close, “Democrat leaning” or “Democrat leaning.”
Get the latest on the 2024 campaign trail, exclusive interviews and more with Fox News Digital’s Election Hub..
