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With such endorsements and a famous football career behind him, Walker instantly becomes the most prominent Republican seeking to overthrow Warnock, who became the first African-American from Georgia to sit in the Senate when he won a special election in January. If Walker clears the primary, it would set up a rare clash between two black candidates from a major party.
Walker’s campaign declined to comment on his upcoming announcement, but Federal Election Commission documents establishing his candidacy and organization were filed Tuesday – capping months of interviews with potential campaign advisers and political pros, including Trump adviser Susie Wiles and Scott Farmer, an adviser to Senator Lindsey Graham (RS.C.), a close ally of Trump.
Despite having Trump’s backing and favorable polls, Republicans close to Senatorial Minority Leader Mitch McConnell have privately expressed concerns about whether Walker is ready to come under intense pressure from a campaign that may decide control of the room.
The National Republican Senate Committee welcomed Walker’s candidacy in a written statement that still left a small window of doubt as to whether he was actually running, a sign that the candidate and the party’s official campaign arm in the Senate are not working synchronized and mirrored NRSC President Rick Scott. position that the committee will not take sides in the open primaries.
“Herschel Walker is a great American and a great Republican,” the statement read. “If he does run, he will join a strong group of Republican candidates and be a formidable candidate. Georgia Republicans will have a heated primary. We’re confident whoever wins the primary will be in a good position to beat Chuck Schumer and Bernie Sanders’ favorite Democrat, Raphael Warnock.
Walker was accused by his ex-wife of being “physically abusive” and of having “extremely threatening behavior”. According to the Associated Press, Walker also overstated the success of his chicken distribution business, Renaissance Man Food Services, and clashed with business partners. Walker openly discussed his mental health issues while writing a 2008 book, “Breaking Free,” in which he revealed that he had several personalities that he was able to overcome through therapy and his Christian faith.
“He’s a dynamic guy, really charismatic,” said a Republican from Georgia who met Walker and discussed his potential campaign before deciding he was the wrong person. “There are a lot of questions about his past. He doesn’t really want to talk about it, and I’m not sure he knows he’s going to have to talk about it anyway.
Meanwhile, state election officials this month began investigating Walker’s current wife Julie Blanchard for voting in the 2020 Georgia election, even though her residence appeared to be in Texas. where the two have lived for years, according to the Atlanta Journal Constitution. Blanchard, Walker’s caretaker and senior advisor, told the publication she felt a legal resident of Georgia because she owns a business in the state and holds a Georgian driver’s license.
Walker changed his voter registration from Texas to Georgia last week before his campaign officially kicked off.
Trump PAC leadership probed Georgia’s Senate race earlier this month and found that Walker drew 54% of likely Republican primary voters and was well ahead of other candidates, including the state Agriculture Commissioner Gary Black, former Trump campaign deputy Kelvin King and former Navy SEAL and administration official Latham Saddler.
The poll showed Walker’s support increased to 67% if voters were told he had Trump’s approval. Other polls show Walker, at this point, is set to match Warnock in a moot clash for the general election.
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