Nevada Senate candidates back UFO probe, spar over inflation, abortion in contentious debate

LAS VEGAS — In their one-and-only swing state Senate debate, Sen. Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.) and Sam Brown, the GOP nominee, traded blows over abortion and investments — but found common ground on flying saucers and little green men.

The two squared off Thursday at KLAS-TV in Las Vegas in a debate that aired statewide in English and Spanish.

Rosen, seeking her second Senate term, and Brown, a former Army captain seriously wounded in Afghanistan, believe the government should investigate “unidentified anomalous phenomena,” or UAPs, more commonly called UFOs.

“I do think it’s important that we do our independent investigation,” Rosen said, adding the Senate should oversee the probe.

Sam Brown, Nevada GOP Senate candidate, high-fives a supporter outside a televised debate Oct. 17, 2024 in Las Vegas AP

Brown agreed the subject deserves investigating but then turned to what he said were other hidden items.

“When we’re talking about secrets, here’s the sort of secrets I think Nevadans deserve to know about is why Senator Rosen has violated the STOCK Act multiple times, as someone who has a $15 million trust, [and] whose net worth went up 61% while most of us are suffering with the higher prices and less take-home pay. We’re worried about paying rent, putting food on our table,” Brown said.

The hourlong, contentious debate saw Rosen repeatedly branding Brown a right-wing extremist and the veteran-turned-entrepreneur painting the state’s junior Senator as an out-of-touch elitist.

“Sam would have voted against all of this investment that we’ve made in Nevada that’s bringing billions of dollars to our state,” Rosen said. 

Rosen also said the key to stemming rising food prices is to focus on “price gouging” and to block the merger of the Kroger and Albertson’s grocery chains, which she said would limit options for shoppers.

Brown said the price at gas pumps was more important in tackling inflation. “A lot of that can be impacted by our energy policy,” he said. 

Brown slammed Rosen’s support for the non-starter Border Protection Act, calling Rosen an “elitist from DC whose own neighborhood has more security than our border, with gate and security guards, our border deserves that to our communities deserve that this.”

Sen. Jacky Rosen, D-Nevada, is seeking a second term. She branded Brown an “extremist” repeatedly during the hour-long debate. AP

Rosen attacked Brown as an “anti-abortion extremist” who would enact a national abortion ban. Brown said he would oppose such a bill.

“I would not vote for any national ban,” Brown said. “I come at this as someone who was informed by my wife’s experience, unfortunately, she had a unexpected pregnancy in a traumatic situation that ended with an abortion, and it was very traumatic for her.”

While Rosen holds a 5-point lead in some polls, Brown’s camp believes he’s closing the gap in a race that could tip the balance of the Senate.