Jun 11, 2024 - Politics & Policy

Sam Brown clinches Nevada GOP primary for key Senate race

Stephen Neukam

Sam Brown, US Republican Senate candidate for Nevada, center, greets attendees during a campaign event with former US President Donald Trump, not pictured, at Sunset Park in Las Vegas, Nevada, US, on Sunday, June 9, 2024. — Sam Brown, Republican U.S. Senate candidate for Nevada (C) in Las Vegas, Nevada, last Sunday. Photo: Bridget Bennett/Bloomberg via Getty Images

Army veteran Sam Brown will be the Republican nominee for Senate in Nevada, AP projects.

Why it matters: Nevada will be one of the most competitive states at both the presidential and Senate levels, and it could help decide control over the chamber.

Brown is backed by party leaders and former President Trump, which cleared the path for him in a field that featured other MAGA-aligned candidates.
He will try to unseat Sen. Jacky Rosen (R-Nevada) in November.

The big picture: Brown's victory on Tuesday completes a redemption arc for the Republican, who ran and lost in the party's Senate primary in 2022.

Republican Adam Laxalt narrowly lost to Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nevada) — a defeat that helped kill GOP chances of having a Senate majority. This time, Brown's race is just as important.

Between the lines: Reproductive rights are expected to be a major issue in the Nevada election. A ballot initiative which would enshrine abortion rights into the state constitution is expected to be in front of voters.

Brown, like other Republicans, has tried to find a way to moderate his stance on abortion. He has also reframed his work with a prominent anti-abortion group in the state.
His wife, Amy Brown, has spoken publicly about her decision to get an abortion when she was younger.

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Sam Brown clinches Nevada GOP primary for key Senate race

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