Nevada congressional candidate Flippo falsely claimed Bronze Star ‘for valor,’ Washington Post reports

Nevada congressional candidate Flippo falsely claimed Bronze Star ‘for valor,’ Washington Post reports David Flippo, the Republican nominee for Nevada’s 2nd Congressional District, repeatedly asserted in recent years that he was awarded a Bronze Star “for valor,” according to a Washington Post article published Thursday, Sept. 24, 2026, at 1:35 p.m. The Post noted that the Bronze Star Flippo earned in 2004, during a 24‑year Air Force career, lacked the “V” device that signifies valor. Experts on military honors said presenting the award as a combat decoration amounts to lying. Flippo’s campaign spokesperson, Rory McShane, responded to the allegations by saying the operation “has sent virtually hundreds of fundraising solicitations via text messages, email, letter, etc. A copywriter accidentally using old talking points does not a scandal make.” When Flippo launched his first congressional bid in 2023, the narration in his announcement video described him as a “recipient of the Bronze Star that he received for valor,” the Post reported. He lost the 2024 Republican primary in Nevada’s 4th Congressional District, which encompasses parts of Las Vegas, North Las Vegas and much of rural central Nevada. During the current election cycle, Flippo’s team repeated the claim in at least two fundraising solicitations examined by the Post. In a February email to supporters, he wrote that he “earned the Bronze Star for valor” after receiving an endorsement from the Combat Veterans for Congress PAC. A week earlier, he used comparable language while outlining his military service highlights. Jason Dempsey, a retired Army infantryman and adjunct senior fellow at the Center for a New American Security, told the Post the exaggeration was “pretty blatant” and reflected “grasping for unearned valor.” He added, “It denigrates everybody’s work for folks to portray themselves this way. He seemingly missed the training on officership and integrity.” Doug Sterner, a two‑time Bronze Star recipient and authority on military awards, said Flippo’s error was “a big deal.” He stated, “It amounts to a lie. It’s a falsification, a misrepresentation of the award that he received. He did not get an award for heroism.” The Air Force Personnel Center’s Bronze Star information page defines the “V” device as denoting “an act or acts of heroism by an individual above what is usually expected while engaged in direct combat with an enemy of the United States, or an opposing armed force, with exposure to enemy hostilities and personal risk.” Flippo, a retired Air Force lieutenant colonel and small‑business owner, secured the Republican nomination on June 9 with the backing of former President Donald Trump, defeating former state Senator James Settelmeyer and several other contenders in a crowded field. He will face Democrat Teresa Benitez‑Thompson, a former Assembly majority leader and former chief of staff to Attorney General Aaron Ford, in the general election on Nov. 3. Republicans have held the district—which includes Reno and much of rural Nevada—since its creation after the 1980 Census. Nevertheless, retiring Republican Representative Mark Amodei, who has held the seat since 2011, said he will not endorse Flippo. Despite the GOP’s historical advantage, recent polls show a competitive contest. A Strategies 360 survey gave Flippo a 45%‑42% lead, while a GBAO poll conducted Aug. 31‑Sept. 3 for the Democratic‑aligned Nevada Alliance found Benitez‑Thompson ahead 38%‑37%, with Independent American Party candidate Lynn Chapman at 14%.