Former UGA football star Herschel Walker will run for US Senate, challenging Warnock

Former University of Georgia football star Herschel Walker will run for U.S. Senate in 2022.

Walker filed paperwork with the Federal Elections Commission declaring his candidacy Tuesday as a Republican. He will challenge incumbent Raphael Warnock, who was elected in 2021 to complete the remainder of Johnny Isakson’s term.

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports that Walker offered no initial comment though a formal announcement is expected in the coming days. Representatives for Warnock did not provide a comment to McClatchy News before publication.

Walker, 59, joins a Republican field that includes Air Force veteran and businessman Kelvin King, banking executive and former Navy SEAL Latham Saddler, and state agriculture commissioner Gary Black.

The filing comes a week after Walker registered to vote in Georgia. His entrance into the race has been speculated for months, fueled by the urging of former President Donald Trump who said the former football star would be “unstoppable” as a candidate.

This story was originally published August 24, 2021 at 3:40 PM.

Nick Wooten

Columbus Ledger-Enquirer

Nick Wooten is the Accountability/Investigative reporter for the Ledger-Enquirer where he is responsible for covering several topics, including Georgia politics. His work may also appear in the Macon Telegraph. Nick was given the Georgia Press Association’s 2021 Emerging Journalist award for his coverage of elections, COVID-19 and Columbus’ LGBTQ+ community. Before joining McClatchy, he worked for The (Shreveport La.) Times covering city government and investigations. He is a graduate of Mercer University in Macon, Georgia.