Former Senate nominee Sam Brown (R) will not run to replace retiring Rep. Mark Amodei (R-NV), setting up a crowded primary in the Northern Nevada-based 2nd Congressional District after he kept the GOP field mostly on ice for nearly a month.

“Amy and I will always call Nevada home,” Brown wrote in a statement on social media early Tuesday. “But at this moment, I have a solemn duty to remain in Washington and continue serving our Veterans as Under Secretary for Memorial Affairs.” 

According to Republicans who spoke with The Nevada Independent before his announcement, the White House immediately began trying to recruit Brown after Amodei’s surprise decision to retire at the end of term. President Donald Trump, who also backed Brown’s Senate bid, would have been likely to endorse him. 

Without a presumptive front-runner, the field is now wide open. The list of possible Republican candidates includes state Controller Andy Matthews, former state Senate Minority Leader James Settelmeyer (R-Gardnerville), conservative lawyer Joey Gilbert, Nevada Trucking Association CEO Paul Enos and several others who have already filed during Nevada’s 10-day candidate filing period that opened Monday and closes on March 13.

“I am considering it,” Matthews told The Nevada Independent Tuesday morning after Brown’s announcement. 

In a Tuesday call, Enos sung Settelmeyer's praises.

"I would not run against James Settelmeyer,” he said. “I am very hopeful that he will be filing soon.”

Other potential candidates and their representatives did not immediately respond to inquiries about their plans. 

Retired surgeon and multiyear candidate Fred Simon (R) previously told The Nevada Independent he would jump in the race regardless of Brown’s decision and would pour a million dollars into his campaign. 

“At 11:30, I’m filing in Carson City,” Simon said in a call Tuesday morning.

Three Republicans have already filed for the seat as of Monday: Jennifer Billat, Tom Doyle and retired Eureka County Sheriff Jesse Watts. 

A representative for 2024 GOP Senate candidate Tony Grady said Tuesday that Grady will not run. 

The seat is traditionally considered safely Republican. A Democrat has never won the district and The Cook Political Report rates it R+7. But Democrats are salivating at the prospect of an open seat in what could be a wave year. A former top assemblymember from Reno and a wealthy investor with an endorsement from Rep. Susie Lee (D-NV) are already in the race to face the eventual GOP nominee. 

Amodei — who previously said he would stay out of the primary race for his seat — told The Nevada Independent in a text he didn’t have any new information to add. 

“Been kinda wrapped up with doing the job,” he said. “Who’s gonna try to get the job is somebody else’s department. Haven’t heard much.”

This story was updated on 03/03/26 at 10:30 a.m. with a comment from Paul Enos.