Rockingham County — Republican hopefuls seeking the U.S. Senate nomination appeared before a local grassroots audience and used opening statements and a timed Q&A to stress faith-based appeals, opposition to abortion and proposals to tighten immigration and campaign finance rules.

Michelle Morrow, introduced herself as a candidate who would "be your ambassador and your voice up in DC," saying the race is "a battle for the heart and soul of The United States Of America" and arguing that electing conservatives down-ballot is crucial. Thomas Johnson framed his candidacy as faith-driven and focused on service, urging voters to hold officials accountable. Don Brown, a candidate and former prosecutor, tied his pitch to fiscal warnings and prosecutions, calling the national debt a "ticking time bomb" and pledging aggressive prosecutions of what he described as corrupt officials.

The candidates were unanimous in saying they oppose abortion. Don Brown said plainly, "Life begins at conception," and argued the unborn should have constitutional protections. Thomas Johnson echoed that view and tied it to his religious convictions: "Life begins at conception and Jesus Christ," he said. Morrow linked opposition to abortion with broader cultural and moral priorities.

On immigration, candidates offered sharply different steps framed in tough enforcement terms: Brown said he would argue from the Senate to stop what he termed the current immigrant flows; Johnson called for no sanctuary cities and immediate deportation for criminal illegal immigrants; Morrow proposed a five-year moratorium on new immigration until standards could be tightened. On campaign finance and transparency, proposals ranged from expanded audits to technology-based monitoring: Johnson suggested a blockchain ledger for lobbying transactions, while Brown pushed for NGO accounting transparency and even an end to the IRS as a way to undercut opaque giving.

Mental health emerged as a recurring theme. Thomas Johnson spoke from personal loss — he said his 29-year-old son died by suicide — and called for both federal policy attention and faith-community engagement. Brown and others proposed rebuilding long-term psychiatric capacity for seriously ill or dangerous individuals.

Why it matters: The forum shows how Republican primary rhetoric in Rockingham County is blending religious appeals with aggressive policy positions on immigration, abortion and federal spending. Candidates offered specific proposals but many tied policy prescriptions to moral framing and local mobilization ahead of the primary.

The forum was hosted by a local grassroots group and followed a prayer invocation and the Pledge of Allegiance; it was a campaign event rather than a government meeting and produced no formal votes or official actions.