Wounded warrior files run for US Senate, proclaims 'Duty First' in moving ad

A wounded warrior who was badly injured while serving in Afghanistan is running for U.S. Senate in Nevada, announcing his campaign with a powerful video highlighting his military service.

Retired Capt. Sam Brown, an Army veteran and Purple Heart recipient, will run as a Republican and seek to unseat incumbent Sen. Catherine Cortez-Masto (D-N.V.) in the 2022 midterm elections. His campaign announcement video, titled "Duty First," focused on his recovery from his injuries and the need for America to recover from the economic devastation of the coronavirus pandemic.

"America needs its own recovery. Record unemployment. Massive business closures. Ruined dreams. Desperate families. But rather than sharing in our sacrifice, our political leaders bicker," Brown narrates in the video, released Wednesday. "Where's the accountability? Too often it was their policies that created the misery they now promise they'll save us from, as though the $1,200 they sent us will buy back our crushed hopes."

Brown was deployed to Afghanistan in 2008, serving as an infantry platoon leader in the 1st Infantry Division, according to his campaign website. A few months after his deployment, he was traveling in a military vehicle when it was struck by an IED blast. Brown was severely injured by the explosion, which left his face disfigured. He spent the next three years in rehabilitation and recovery.

After his recovery, Brown moved to Reno with his wife, Amy, in June 2018. They opened a business that assists the VA in providing medical services for veterans.

On July 7, shortly after filing to run for U.S. Senate and just days after the Fourth of July, Brown accused Twitter of censoring him after a patriotic post of himself offering a salute in uniform was labeled "sensitive content."

"On July 4, 1776, America was born. On July 4, 2021, we're still the best country on this planet," Brown wrote in his post. The photo he shared said "Freedom isn't free."

Twitter affixed a warning label to Brown's tweet that read, "The following media includes potentially sensitive content."

"Hey @Twitter, I didn't realize my face was 'sensitive content,'" Brown tweeted in response. "Ironic considering I only have 3 tweets & just filed to run for U.S. Senate only hours ago."

"While I was ready to lay down my life in order to protect freedom of speech for my fellow Americans, Big Tech today decided that they know better, censoring me and deeming my comments regarding this great nation 'Sensitive Content,'" Brown said in a statement to Fox News. "These egregious and un-American actions come mere hours after I took steps to file and establish my candidacy for the United States Senate in Nevada, reinforcing my belief that 'Big Tech' is working against conservatives and trying to silence our voices.

"Everyday I wear the scars of my service and I am still proud to call myself an American. If Twitter thinks they can censor my military service, my love for this country, or the flag it represents – they are sorely mistaken," he added.

A spokesman for Twitter said individual users can adjust their account settings to enable or disable such content warnings.