Lombardo backs Brown in Republican U.S. Senate primary

Gov. Joe Lombardo endorsed Nevada Republican Senate candidate Sam Brown Thursday, Brown’s campaign announced in a release.

Brown already has the backing of the National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) committee, the Republican Senate’s campaign arm, in his bid to win the primary and challenge incumbent Democratic Sen. Jacky Rosen in the general election.

Other Republicans who previously announced they are running for the Senate seat include Jim Marchant and Jeffrey Ross Gunter. Like Brown, neither of them had officially filed to be on the ballot as of Thursday, according to the Secretary of State office’s unofficial tracker. Another Republican who has launched a campaign, Tony Grady, filed Wednesday.

The filing period began Monday and ends at 5 p.m. March 15.

Donald Trump has yet to make an endorsement in the Nevada Republican Senate primary, but his endorsements in Senate primaries in other states thus far have corresponded with the NRSC’s preferred candidates. Republican Senate leadership and Trump are trying to avoid contested primaries, and clear paths for candidates they feel have the best chance to win.

This is Brown’s second campaign for the U.S. Senate in as many campaign cycles. He lost the primary to Adam Laxalt in 2022. Brown, who has never held elected office,  also sought a congressional seat in Texas in 2014, finishing third in that Republican primary.

Brown’s release quoted Lombardo saying Brown “is committed to fighting to return more federal land to Nevada, securing America’s borders, lowering taxes, reducing crime, and ensuring our law enforcement and military have the tools, resources and respect they deserve.”