Republicans Need to Reclaim Georgia’s Senate Seats – Could This Man Help Them Do That?

Thanks to the explosive growth of metro Atlanta, Georgia isn't as much a Republican state as the rest of the solid south. But it's still enough of one that many Peach State Republicans are still recovering after Democrats unexpectedly swept the state's two special Senate elections in early 2021.

Now, Republicans have chosen a candidate to unseat Democrat incumbent Raphael Warnock, who finds himself in the unenviable position of running for reelection in a year that favors Republicans.

So far, anyway.

Herschel Walker is a charismatic candidate who cuts an imposing figure. Walker, who won the Heisman Trophy as a junior at the University of Georgia, went on to have an extensive career in the National Football League. He was also on the 1992 U.S. Olympic bobsleigh team and has fought professionally in mixed martial arts.

An enthusiastic supporter of former President Donald Trump, Walker's candidacy won Trump's endorsement and helped clear the primary field.

But Warnock still has the advantage of incumbency and Republicans haven't fared too well in recent elections in the state that have been drawn into the national spotlight.

Tom Price resigned from Congress to become Trump's first Health and Human Services (HHS) secretary after representing Atlanta's affluent northern suburbs for just over a dozen years. Republican Karen Handel won a hotly-contested special election for the then-vacant seat in June 2017, hinting at the problems Trump would have with suburban voters. That race still holds the record of being the most expensive in the history of the House of Representatives, having cost over $50 million.

However, Handel served less than one term in Congress before radical progressive Lucy McBath was elected to represent the voters of Georgia's 6th District.

January 3, 2021, was another disappointing loss after Republicans brought boots on the ground and millions of dollars into the state to “hold the line” after Trump's loss in November 2020.

According to a post-mortem election report by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, 752,000 Republican voters in the presidential election did not vote in the pivotal senate runoffs.

Meanwhile, Trump has had a tumultuous relationship with two of the state's current statewide elected officials — Governor Brian Kemp and Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger. Raffensperger even testified against Trump before the Jan. 6 committee earlier this summer.

Trump endorsed both men's primary opponents, but the incumbents still prevailed.

Bottom line: At least a decent number of Republican voters in Georgia are more interested in moving forward than settling grievances.

And like pretty much everywhere else, candidates with less baggage prevail by larger margins than those mired in controversy. Although that's especially true in Georgia, given its status as a swing state.

Fortunately, Walker isn't complacent. The running back-turned-politician is crisscrossing the state talking to voters on a daily basis — most recently in an appearance last night at the Georgia Sheriff's Association conference on the shores of Lake Lanier.

But Warnock isn't running a subpar campaign either.

Just this week, the Democrat released an ad calling out Walker for not being willing to debate him.

In a recent story, Politico asked current first-term Alabama Senator Tommy Tuberville about his thoughts on Walker's campaign.

Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.), a former college football coach, likened Walker's campaign to his own in 2020 and said he's stayed in touch with the Georgia Republican, who “doesn't have to sell his name.” Running against former Sen. Doug Jones two years ago, Tuberville shirked a debate and won by 20 points — though in a heavily Republican state.

“I didn't get up and debate people because they didn't get out and work like I worked. And I wasn't going to give them an advantage … by giving them a platform,” Tuberville said.

Tuberville is right that Walker doesn't have to sell his name.

Although the same group of voters will be voting in Georgia's governor and U.S. Senate races, the Cook Political Report puts the gubernatorial race in its “Lean Republican” category while it has assigned a “Toss-Up” rating to the senate seat.

The challenges confronting Walker are great. But with the necessary resources and a sound game plan, he should be able to prove to the electorate that he's ready for prime time in the political arena.

The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the positions of American Liberty News.