Jim Marchant, a staunch supporter of former President Trump and vocal denier of the 2020 election results, announced his candidacy for the Senate on Tuesday. His bid for a Senate seat in the swing state of Nevada could play a crucial role in determining the control of the chamber in the 2024 elections.
As a Republican, Marchant is aiming to challenge Senator Jacky Rosen, a moderate Democrat currently serving her first term. Notably, no other prominent Republicans have entered the race thus far.
In the previous midterm elections, Marchant played a role in organizing a national slate of secretary of state candidates called “America First.” This group consisted of right-wing election deniers who focused on baseless claims of voter fraud. However, the majority of their candidates were rejected by voters.
The position of secretary of state, once relatively obscure, has gained significant importance since the 2020 election. In Marchant’s own race, he did not appear to concede defeat.
Marchant, a former one-term assemblyman, was also involved in Nevada’s alternate slate of pro-Trump electors who attempted to overturn Joseph R. Biden Jr.’s victory in the state. Furthermore, he contested the results of his own congressional race in court, but without success.
During his campaign announcement, Marchant emphasized his commitment to safeguarding freedom and personal liberty. Speaking at a Las Vegas church that had challenged pandemic stay-at-home orders in court, he vowed to protect Nevadans from what he termed “overbearing government,” Silicon Valley, big media, labor unions, and advocates of radical gender change. He criticized Senator Rosen for allegedly failing to address these concerns.
In response, Senator Rosen took to Twitter to portray Marchant as an extremist, stating that Nevadans deserve a Senator who will fight for them rather than a MAGA election denier who opposes abortion rights even in cases of rape and incest. She emphasized her focus on problem-solving for the people of Nevada.
Marchant was joined on Tuesday by political strategist Dick Morris, who will serve as a general consultant for his campaign. During the event, Morris repeated false claims about election fraud.
