Former ambassador, others enter Nevada’s crowded GOP race for Senate
A few more candidates have entered Nevada’s crowded GOP race for U.S. Senate in 2024.
Those include Dr. Jeff Gunter, the former ambassador to Iceland under the Trump administration; Barry Lindemann, a former nonpartisan candidate who ran for Senate in 2022; and William Conrad, a retired Army lieutenant colonel who also ran for Senate in 2022.
The new candidates join Sam Brown, Ronda Kennedy, Jim Marchant, and Stephanie Phillips in the contentious GOP primary, bringing the total number of candidates to seven. Tony Grady, who previously ran for lieutenant governor in 2022, announced his run for Senate on Tuesday, which brings the total number of Republican candidates to eight.
Jeff Gunter
In Gunter’s announcement video, the dermatologist is shown seeing patients, talking with doctors and driving a truck with Southern Nevada’s mountains as a backdrop.
As the ambassador to Iceland, Gunter said he fought the “deep state” and Russia’s influence in the Arctic.
His campaign plans to focus on “America First” issues, like securing the border, fixing the health care system and “reversing the extreme economic damage of the Biden agenda.”
Gunter, who donated more than $11,000 to former President Donald Trump’s campaign in June, said he would support Trump and finish building the wall on the southern border with him. He also promised to bring jobs back to Nevada, reduce gas prices and make the U.S. energy-independent.
Since his announcement, Democrats have released statements in opposition to his candidacy. For instance, Senate Majority PAC spokesperson Sarah Guggenheimer called Gunter “extreme” and “out of touch.”
At an event in Las Vegas on Monday, Sen. Jacky Rosen, D-Nev., who will face one of the Republican candidates in November 2024, said they are “different sides of the same MAGA coin” in their stances on issues, from election fraud to abortion.
“It’s turning out to be a pretty messy MAGA Republican primary over there, and we’re going to let them work it out amongst themselves,” she said.
Barry Lindemann
Lindemann received about 8,000 votes in the 2022 race, or 0.79 percent of the total votes.
He says he provides conservative solutions for issues such as the economy, Social Security, Medicare/Medicaid and student loans.
“He doesn’t look like a political candidate, and he doesn’t sound like a political candidate,” his campaign statement said. “All of which Barry see as a positive, and he may just be the one candidate in Nevada that Democrats fear the most.”
William Conrad
Conrad is the founder and current president of the National Association of Podcasters. His biggest campaign priorities are national security, the southern border and fiscal responsibility, according to his campaign website.
“A well-controlled and legal immigration system allows us to welcome those who wish to contribute to our society while ensuring our nation remains strong, safe, and prosperous,” he said on his website. “It is essential to strike a balance that respects the value of immigration while prioritizing the safety and well-being of our nation and its people.”
Tony Grady
Grady, a retired Air Force lieutenant colonel and a CEO and founder of a nanotechnology company, wants to bring a new perspective to Congress, he said in his campaign launch statement. As of Tuesday morning, his statement of candidacy was not on the Federal Election Commission website.
“In my lifelong career of service, I have learned what it takes to get people motivated and how to invite people with different beliefs and similar goals to work together in a symbiotic relationship,” Grady said. “I have experience in de-escalating tense situations and ensuring that every voice at the table is heard.”
Contact Jessica Hill at jehill@reviewjournal.com. Follow @jess_hillyeah on Twitter. Staff writer Sean Hemmersmeier contributed to this report.
