Some Republicans are expressing concerns about whether former football great Herschel Walker will be able to handle a Senate run if he decides to enter the race in Georgia against Democrat Sen. Raphael Warnock.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution noted Walkers hasn’t lived in Georgia for decades and has never held public office. In addition, he doesn’t attend Republican events on the political calender. Yet, despite this, many in the GOP view Walker as the front-runner in the 2022 GOP primary.
Walker still hasn’t announced his candidacy.
"He told me he’s going to, and I think he will," former President Donald Trump said last week on the "Clay Travis & Buck Sexton Show. "I had dinner with him a week ago. He is a great guy. He is a patriot. He’s a very loyal person."
Walker, 59, was born in Wrightsville, Georgia, and attended the University of Georgia where he won the Heisman Trophy with the Bulldogs football team as a junior in 1982, amassing 5,097 yards as a running back in three seasons, according to the Heisman.com. He went on to play professional football.
In recent years, Walker proved to be a staunch supporter of Trump during his campaign and administration, appearing at several rallies during Trump’s two campaigns in 2016 and 2020.
"They love him in Georgia," Trump said. "I think he’d win; it would be very hard to beat Herschel."
Still, the likelihood of a Walker candidacy had some conservatives, who see an opportunity to flip the Senate seat in Georgia, expressing concern, according to Fox News.
"Herschel Walker will need to come back to Georgia and campaign," Doug Collins, a former Republican congressman, who ran for the Senate in 2020 said on his radio show, according to the Journal-Constitution. "He will need to show that he is a conservative.
"I have never heard Herschel Walker’s position on pro-life. I haven’t, I’ve never heard his position on gun control. I’ve never heard his position on a lot of these issues that are conservative issues."
Agriculture Commissioner Gary Black, who kicked off his campaign at the Georgia Republican convention in June says he intends to win it.
"I’m in this race to win the primary and the general election," Black said of the possibility of a Walker run. "I’m in it for the long haul."
Meanwhile, some Republicans privately complained that Walker wouldn’t return their calls or complained the drawn-out process would hurt the party in the long run, particularly if he decides against running.
"He needs to show conservative policy positions early, prove he can look forward and take it to Warnock and build a professional operation," said Cole Muzio, who oversees the conservative Frontline Policy Council.
Jeffrey Rodack ✉
Jeffrey Rodack, who has nearly a half century in news as a senior editor and city editor for national and local publications, has covered politics for Newsmax for nearly seven years.
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