War veteran Sam Brown wins GOP primary in top battleground Senate race

Source: Fox News
Author: Brandon Gillespie

RENO, Nev. - Afghanistan war veteran Sam Brown has won Nevada's Republican Senate primary and will now face off against a tough incumbent Democrat in the November general election.

Brown led former U.S. Ambassador to Iceland Jeffrey Gunter by around 24 percentage points when The Associated Press called the race.

The campaign turned increasingly ugly in the months preceding the election, with Gunter and Brown battling over who was the true MAGA and America First candidate in the race.

However, a late endorsement from former President Trump appears to have helped solidify Brown's status as the frontrunner and boosted him over the finish line.

UGLY GOP PRIMARY COMES TO AN END AS SWING STATE VOTERS SET TO DECIDE WHO WILL FACE TOUGH DEMOCRAT INCUMBENT

Brown also has the backing of Nevada's popular Republican Gov. Joe Lombardo, a figure who largely stays out of the spotlight and rarely weighs in on such instances of increased national attention.

Brown will now face incumbent Democratic Sen. Jacky Rosen in the November general election, where Democrats hope her well-financed operation will keep the Silver State firmly blue in a year Republicans are expected to perform well across the country.

WATCH: TRUMP RALLYGOERS REVEAL WHO THEY WANT AS VICE PRESIDENT

Little polling has been conducted on the race, but a New York Times poll released last month showed the two tied at 41% with a number still undecided.

Democrats hold a slim 51-49 majority in the Senate, and the Nevada race is being viewed as a top flip opportunity for Republicans, along with races in West Virginia, Montana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Michigan, Maryland and Arizona.

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

Republicans lost a bid to unseat incumbent Democrat Sen. Catherine Cortez-Masto by less than a percentage point in 2022.

Elections analysts rate the race as either "tilt Democratic," "lean Democratic," or a "toss-up."