(NewsNation) Sam Brown, a Republican and former Army captain who won a landslide victory in Nevada’s Senate primary, has his sights set on defeating incumbent Democrat Jacky Rosen and said in an interview Wednesday that voters are tired of “out-of-touch politicians.”
While acknowledging Rosen’s lead, Brown expressed confidence he could beat polls that showed he had a 74 percent chance of holding onto the seat, which is crucial for Democrats as they seek to maintain control of the Senate.
“I’m still a freshman. I just won a big primary election last night,” Brown said on NewsNation’s “On Balance.” “I’m going to close that gap and overcome it while appealing to voters, independents and Democrats who are tired of unrealistic politicians.”
The contest between Brown and Rosen will determine which party will control the Senate in the next Congress, with Democrats seeking to maintain their slim Senate majority this year and defend far more seats than Republicans.
Rosen, who describes himself as one of the Senate’s most bipartisan and independent Democrats, accused Governor Brown of trying to restrict abortion rights, which are crucial to Nevada voters.
But Governor Brown told NewsNation that he “respects the voice of the voters” who have twice enshrined abortion rights in state law, while Governor Rosen supports federal legislation that goes beyond that.
Brown, a Purple Heart recipient who was severely burned in an IED explosion in Afghanistan, dismissed accusations from his primary opponents that he tried to buy the support of former President Donald Trump as “Democrat ramblings.”
Brown, a political newcomer from a poor background, cited her life experiences and young family as driving forces for her bid for Senate at a “crossroads” that threatens the American Dream.
He lamented problems like student loan debt, energy costs and failing schools, and declared that “it’s time to sacrifice our professional lives and our families and serve again.”
