'Low and vile': Wife of wounded veteran in bitter Senate primary unleashes on GOP opponent's 'disgusting' ads
FIRST ON FOX: The wife of Sam Brown, a Republican Senate candidate and wounded war veteran left with life-altering scars, is coming to her husband's defense over "vile" attack ads being run by his primary opponent.
Amy Brown, often seen alongside her husband on the campaign trail, is arguing that ads running across Nevada by Dr. Jeffrey Gunter's campaign accentuate Sam Brown's scars, which were caused by an IED explosion during a 2008 deployment to Afghanistan that left his face severely burned.
"Our family embraces Sam’s scars as a physical testament to his strength through adversity and sacrifice for our country. Sam bravely fought through not just an IED attack that nearly took his life, but the agonizing process of physical recovery that included over 30 painful surgeries," she told Fox News Digital.
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"He overcame it all and bears the scars to prove it. It’s disgusting and inexcusable that someone claiming to be a doctor would attack a veteran’s physical disfigurement in general, but to do it for political purposes is especially low and vile," she added.
The ads being run by Gunter, a dermatologist who served as former President Trump's U.S. ambassador to Iceland, dub Brown as "Scam Brown," and "the newest creature to emerge from the swamp," referencing what it says are his close ties to Senate Minority leader Mitch McConnell, an establishment Republican.
The ads use imagery typically seen in a campaign attack ad with unflattering photos and angles of the candidate being attacked and also include additions that make Brown's skin look scaley. National Republicans backing Brown say, this time, the attack ads go too far.
"It is absolutely disgusting that former Democrat Jeff Gunter is mocking the wounds of a veteran who was injured while serving our country. Something is seriously wrong with this guy," National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) communications director Mike Berg told Fox News Digital.
Gunter responded to the criticism by telling Fox News Digital the ads were about Brown's ties to the Washington, D.C., "swamp," hence the politicians featured in one of the ads alongside Brown also having scaly looking skin with images of dripping mud on the screen.
"The only wound rightfully criticized is selling out to the swamp. As the son of a veteran, I deeply respect those who serve. As a doctor, I’ve treated severe injuries and know how wounds can be used as a crown or a crutch. I refuse to judge people based on appearances, a tactic often used by the left," Gunter said.
Gunter pointed to Brown using his own injuries in his campaign message, including calling himself "Burning Man," frequently referencing the attack that caused his wounds, and using "the same photos repeatedly."
"Showing someone’s photo in an ad isn’t an attack. This is a desperate measure from Sam Brown’s imploding campaign. While he served with honor, he now prioritizes D.C. lobbyists and the political elite over Nevada’s working families," Gunter said. "Candidates aren’t immune from criticism, and hiding from accountability isn’t what Americans want in their lawmakers."
The heated battle between Gunter and Brown escalated last month when the former announced he would be spending millions to ramp up his campaign to become the Republican nominee, including attacks against Brown. That prompted the Brown campaign and the NRSC to take up their own attacks, with the latter viewing the former solider as the best chance to take on incumbent Democrat Sen. Jacky Rosen in November.
The primary will be held on Tuesday, June 11.