Herschel Walker managed to secure the Republican nomination for the U.S. Senate in Georgia, in a six-way race that included Gary Black, Georgia’s agriculture commissioner, the 1982 Heisman Trophy winner managed to secure 68 percent of the vote. U.S. Senator Raphael Warnock cruised to victory in Tuesday securing the Democratic nomination with 96 percent of the vote in the Democratic primary. The general election in November, featuring a matchup between Warnock and Walker would mark the first time that two major party candidates for U.S. Senate in Georgia were Black. But that’s where any similarities end.
Walker, who worked for President Trump when Trump bought the N.J. Generals, of the short-lived United States Football League, in 1984, has long been a defender of Trump.
“President Trump is the president of the United States and I think they need to respect the White House whether he’s in office or not respect the White House,” Walker told FOX Business’ Stuart Varney on “Varney & Co.” “He is a great man and it’s sad to see people that do not know him say the awful things they’ve said about him, that he’s racist. I’m here to tell you Donald Trump is not a racist.”
In an interview with The Guardian, Walker defended Trump saying, “I do know Donald Trump, and I don’t think he’s a racist.”
On “Lou Dobb Tonight” on Fox Business on October 1, 2020, Walker said that Donald Trump, who he has known for 37 years, is not a racist.
“But I can tell you right now: Donald Trump is not a racist,” Walker said.
While we respect Walker’s opinion, we have to firmly disagree and say the NFL Legend is out of touch and maybe be dangerous to the further decaying of democracy if he wins in November.
That being said, with the Republican nomination in hand, Walker will face Democratic incumbent Rev. Raphael Warnock, who secured 96 percent of the vote in the Democratic primary. Republicans have a special interest in securing this Georgia seat as they look to regain control of the Senate in the midterm elections. A recent RealClear Politics poll showed Walker and Warnock tied in a general election showdown.
Warnock, the Democratic incumbent, easily brushed back a challenge from Tamara Johnson-Shealey in his bid to secure a full six-year term in the US Senate. The 52-year-old senior pastor of Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta was first sent to Washington by voters last year in a special election. Warnock, looking to defend the seat easily defeated beauty industry professional Tamara Johnson-Shealey in Tuesday’s primary.
Warnock is the pastor of Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta, where the late Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. once preached. He became the first Black senator elected from Georgia when he defeated appointed Republican Sen. Kelly Loeffler in 2021 weeks after Democrats won the state’s presidential election for the first time since 1992. Georgia shattered its turnout record for a runoff with more than 3 million votes by mail or during in-person advance voting in December. The state’s previous record was 2.1 million in a 2008 Senate runoff.
Walker who will forever be a legend in the eyes of Georgia Bulldog fans, barreled over his opponents Tuesday, like he did Tennessee safety Bill Bates for his very first touchdown at University of Georgia. From the minute he stepped onto UGA’s campus, Walker did things on the gridiron no one in the Southeastern Conference had ever done. And thus, a legend was born.
The College Football Hall of Famer, who was one of 81 Black Republicans competing in the 2022 primary elections, goes into the general election with the support of former President Donald Trump who encouraged the former pro-football player to run for office. The two have had a long bromance that goes back to 1984 when Trump, once an owner of the United States Football League’s New Jersey Generals, extended Walker’s contract. Walker also appeared on Trump’s reality show, The Celebrity Apprentice in 2009.
First-time candidate, Walker has faced scrutiny over past accusations from an ex-wife and an ex-girlfriend that he threatened violence against them. He has also fielded questions about his mental health. Walker has said he has dissociative identity disorder, once known as multiple personality disorder. He has denied criminal wrongdoing while acknowledging his struggles and expressing an interest in setting an example for others with mental illnesses.
On the other hand, as a senator, Warnock has derided Republicans’ push for tighter voting rules, calling them “Jim Crow in new clothes;” stressed his work in bringing home funding for health care, national security research and other projects. He has also highlighted his efforts to try to cap the cost of insulin and temporarily suspend the federal gas tax.
It’s safe to say once again all eyes will be on Georgia in November. This will be a key election that may again dictate which party has control of the Senate. Other key Georgia races the world will be watching are Stacey Abrams – Brian Kemp rematch for GA Governor and the race for GA Secretary of State. Georgia elections will play a major part in the fight for democracy.
