Former NFL star and Heisman Trophy winner Herschel Walker on Tuesday announced that he is running for the United States Senate in Georgia. Walker, who is running as a Republican in the Peach State, is running to unseat incumbent Sen. Raphael Warnock, D-Ga., in the 2022 midterms.
Walker is running with the support of President Trump, who endorsed a potential Walker candidacy last March.
“Wouldn’t it be great if the legendary Herschel Walker ran for the United States Senate in Georgia?” Trump said. “He would be unstoppable, just like he was when he played for the Georgia Bulldogs, and in the NFL. He is also a GREAT person. Run, Herschel, Run!”
Walker, who is expected to formally announce his campaign on Wednesday, tweeted a video in June sparking rumors that he would run for Senate.
Federal Election Commission paperwork, formally establishing his candidacy, was reportedly filed on Tuesday.
According to an August poll from Fabrizio Lee, Walker leads the Republican primaries with 54 percent support. A separate poll conducted this month by Public Polling Policy shows Warnock leading Walker 48% to 46%, which is well within the margin of error.
The Georgia U.S. Senate race is will be one of the most competitive U.S. Senate race for the 2022 midterms considering the two recent Senate seats the GOP lost earlier this year. Sen. Raphael Warnock defeated former Senator Kelly Loeffler in January with 51% to 49%. Despite her defeat, Loeffler is considering another run for her old seat.
Walker has a diverse background in politics and sports as he also served as a co-chair of the President’s Council on Sports, Fitness, and Nutrition since 2018. He spoke on President Trump’s behalf at the 2020 Republican National Convention. And he is considered one of the greatest college football players of all time, with over 5,200 rushing yards and over 50 touchdowns while playing as a running back for the University of Georgia. He is a winner of the Heisman Trophy and a national championship from 1980.
Walker is expected to officially announce candidacy on Wednesday and confirm his filing with the FEC.
