Reno — Seven Nevada GOP Senate candidates debate Thursday in their first primary. The frontrunner, a national party favorite who has raised the most money, will not be there. The campaign of retired Army Capt. Sam Brown says he skipped the Reno event due to his huge resource advantage and grassroots support. Other race leaders have avoided their opponents.
The discussion will feature lesser-known contenders including Jim Marchant, a former Nevada secretary of state and outspoken election denier; Tony Grady, an Air Force veteran and former lieutenant governor; and Stephanie Phillips, a real estate dealer. Former U.S. Ambassador to Iceland Jeff Gunter withdrew from the discussion.
They want to be nominated to oppose Democratic Sen. Jacky Rosen, a first-term centrist in the presidential battleground state and one of Republicans' main targets this year. Senate Democrats, who lead 51-49, are defending 23 seats this season.
Republican leaders in Washington extensively recruited Purple Heart winner Brown to avoid a recurrence of the 2022 elections, when poor GOP candidates helped Democrats retain the Senate majority. Following his candidacy announcement, the National Republican Senatorial Committee promptly backed him.
Brown's team said the primary contest was almost decided five months before the June primary, explaining why he skipped the debate.
“The numbers say it all: Sam Brown is the only candidate in this race with the resources, support and grassroots energy to challenge Jacky Rosen,” a representative stated. Nevada Republicans support Donald Trump and Sam Brown because they are the only conservatives who can beat Biden and Rosen in November.
Redmove Nevada, a conservative group co-founded by candidate Bill Conrad, a retired U.S. Army lieutenant colonel and former deputy mayor of Modesto, California, will host the debate. Ray Rocha, another co-founder, said Conrad helped set up the broadcast but wasn't informed of the queries.
Brown slammed his Senate primary opponent Adam Laxalt for agreeing to a prepared debate instead of a prime-time broadcast two years ago. “He must feel safe at 8 a.m., on a Monday morning, in a closed studio, where working class Nevadans can’t challenge him,” Brown added.
Former President Donald Trump and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell endorsed Laxalt, who won the primary but lost narrowly to Democrat Catherine Cortez Masto in the general election. Rosen raised $3.2 million in the fourth quarter of 2023, compared to Brown's $1.85 million, for this year's contest.