Trump's Herschel Walker Support Stalls Georgia Race

Bigger GOP political names won't enter race until former football star decides
By Bob Cronin,  Newser Staff
Posted Apr 23, 2021 3:40 PM CDT
Georgia GOP Waits Waits on Herschel Walker
Former President Trump elbow bumbs Herschel Walker during a campaign rally last September in Atlanta.   (AP Photo/John Bazemore)

It might turn out to be a fake, but Herschel Walker's consideration of a run for Senate has frozen other Georgia Republicans in their tracks. Walker has hinted about entering the GOP primary so he can take on newly elected Democratic Sen. Raphael Warnock, who's running for a full term, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports. The former football great for the University of Georgia hasn't committed to running, not running, or a timetable for deciding. "Right now, just going through the process and thinking about it," Walker said this week, per CNN. "Not really talking a lot about it." That has potential candidates—including Attorney General Chris Carr, US Rep. Buddy Carter, former US Rep. Doug Collins and the recently deposed US Sen. Kelly Loeffler—waiting for Walker's decision. "Hershel doesn't run, then I can run," Carter said.

The reason the others aren't jumping in regardless is that Walker seems to have the support of former President Trump, who suggested he run and said he would be "unstoppable." Walker spoke in favor of Trump at the party's national convention last year. No Republican in the state wants to end up running against a candidate with Trump's endorsement. That doesn't mean all Republicans are pleased with the situation. Some fear the party is wasting time while the newly elected Warnock raises money, and there's concern that a political rookie would have trouble in a high-pressure campaign against a more experienced sitting senator. When asked about Walker, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell passed on a chance to say something positive. "Well, I've met him," McConnell said. The first step for Walker would be moving to Georgia from Texas, which he'd have to do by November 2022. (More Herschel Walker stories.)

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