Nevada’s Dem Senator Wins Re-Election, Defeats Republican Sam Brown

Democrat Sen. Jacky Rosen narrowly retained her Senate seat in Nevada, a highly competitive state. Rosen had trailed Republican Sam Brown multiple times throughout the initial election results, and after days of counting, she secured victory with 675,318 votes, a margin of 20,571.

Nevada was considered a possible Republican pickup as they aimed to expand their Senate majority. Brown, a veteran and businessman, ran against Rosen, a one-term incumbent elected in 2018 during a Democratic wave in the midterms of Donald Trump’s first year in office. Rosen first entered the Senate by defeating former Senator Dean Heller.

Brown, who graduated from West Point and served in Afghanistan, was endorsed by Trump and emphasized Nevada’s slow economic recovery. A Purple Heart recipient, he survived an IED injury in 2008 that left him with burns on over 30% of his body. Running as a conservative, he challenged Rosen’s record as a freshman senator.

Simultaneously, GOP Senate candidate Kari Lake is narrowly projected to lose her race against Democrat Rep. Ruben Gallego in Arizona.

Gallego, a Phoenix-based House representative for nearly a decade, will succeed outgoing Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (I-Ariz.). Sinema chose not to run for re-election after switching from Democrat to Independent last year, facing challenges in securing another term, The Hill reported.

Gallego, who announced his run before Sinema’s decision, highlighted his background as the son of a single mother with Mexican and Colombian heritage and his Marine service. His win provides Democrats a modest boost after an otherwise challenging election cycle. While they defended Senate seats in battleground states like Nevada, Wisconsin, Michigan, and Arizona, they lost seats in Ohio, Montana, and West Virginia and appear likely to lose Pennsylvania. They also lost the White House, and their control over the House is uncertain.

Lake, a former news anchor, had previously run for Arizona governor in 2022, narrowly losing to Gov. Katie Hobbs (D). Known nationally for her election-denial stance, Lake faced similar challenges in her Senate campaign, where she continued to dispute her 2022 loss in court.

During this campaign, Lake stated she would not vote for a federal abortion ban if elected, advocating for states to set their own abortion policies. However, she previously supported an 1864 Arizona law banning nearly all abortions.

Gallego, meanwhile, faced questions about his record and evolving views on issues like immigration. Critics cited his past remarks, calling Trump’s border wall “stupid” and “dumb.” Once a member of the House Progressive Caucus, Gallego let his membership lapse, citing dues as the reason. Republicans used ads to link him to prominent Democrats, including Vice President Harris and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer.

Trump, who won Arizona this election cycle, had previously won the state in 2016 but lost to Joe Biden in 2020.