Republican candidate Herschel Walker seeks election in the Nov. 8 midterm election. Walker announced his Senatorial campaign on Aug. 24, 2021. “(I’ll) stand up for conservative values and get our country moving in the right direction,” Walker said. Illustration by Antonio Starks, graphic by Mykolas Kumpis
Viewpoints Staffer Mykolas Kumpis summarizes U.S. Senatorial Candidate Herschel Walker, (R-Ga.)’s stances on the economy, gun violence and abortion.
Senatorial Candidate Herschel Junior Walker, R-Ga., had a long career as a football running back, playing for three years with the University of Georgia before opting out at the end of his junior year to play at the professional level for the New Jersey Generals of the USFL. Thereafter in the NFL, he played for the Dallas Cowboys, Minnesota Vikings, Philadelphia Eagles, and the New York Giants, finishing up his 14 year career with another stint with the Cowboys.
Now, bringing a conservative agenda in line with the rest of the Republican Party, the Georgia native is running to replace Democratic incumbent Sen. Raphael Warnock in the Senate.
Economy
Walker has been unspecific in his plans for Georgia’s economy. Lacking a record of public service, he has opted for implicating the Biden administration, Democrat-controlled Congress, and his opponent incumbent Sen. Warnock for mounting inflation and national economic downturn.
“Fuel costs, grocery costs, utility bills (have) gone up, and inflation is still up and everyone knows that,” Walker said during a campaign event in Gwinnett County on Sept. 9. “And it’s because of Sen. Warnock. You know that. And President (Joseph) Biden.”
With his own economic plans largely undefined, the challenger will have to rely on voters’ displeasure with current Democrats’ policy to carry momentum until the election.
Gun Violence
Walker’s take on gun violence has been typical for contemporary conservatives. In the wake of recent mass shootings, he has joined many other Republicans in strengthening support for Second Amendment rights while shifting blame towards rampant mental health issues prevalent in the U.S. today.
During a May 26, 2022 interview with Fox News following the Uvalde shooting, Walker said, “This has been happening for years and the way we stop it is (by) putting money into the mental health field.”
In a state where 39% of adults live in a household with a gun, the future of gun rights will be important to voters in the upcoming election.
Abortion
When it comes to abortion, the situation becomes complicated for Herschel Walker. While he expressed desires for a full ban on abortion with “no exceptions,” his campaign has been mired by allegations of Walker paying for two ex-girlfriends’ abortions in 2009 and 2011, weakening his stance for many.
“There’s no exception in my mind. Like I say, I believe in life. I believe in life,” Walker said after a campaign speech.
