Republican Senate nominee Herschel Walker, a staunch anti-abortion politician accused by his ex-girlfriend of encouraging and paying for her abortion in 2009, held talks with Democratic senators on Friday. Raphael Warnock’s only debate denied his previous support for a complete nationwide abortion ban.
The former college football and NFL star, endorsed by Donald Trump, was asked if he supported a “total ban across the country.” He said the host had misrepresented his position. These contradictory statements were made repeatedly on the campaign trail, including in July, when Walker said the absence of a state ban was “an issue.”
Walker also responded to Warnock’s attacks about his past claims to be a law enforcement officer by showing what he said was a police badge.
Warnock said: “You can support the police like I do…while holding the police accountable like all professions do. One thing I haven’t done, I’ve never pretended to be a policeman. And I never, I never There was no threat of a shootout with the police.”
Saying “I have to respond to this,” Walker showed his badge.
Walker was never a trained law enforcement officer, despite his law enforcement approval.
As Walker waved his badge, the debate moderator said: “Mr Walker, Mr Walker – I’m sorry, Mr Walker. I need to tell you, Mr Walker, you know the rules tonight. You have a prop not allowed. Sir, I asked you to put that prop away.”
Walker did not do so immediately.
The host said, “I’m sorry, sir. You know the rules well, don’t you?”
“Okay, let’s get to the truth,” Walker said.
Walker’s apparent struggle with the truth about abortion has been the subject of midterm elections. On Friday, he said he took the same position as Georgia’s law, the so-called Heartbeat Act, which prohibits abortions up to six weeks before many women know they are pregnant. The law went into effect this year after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned abortion rights.
The heated exchange about abortion is one of many factors that highlights the stark differences between Warnock and Walker. Warnock didn’t directly raise the allegation that Walker paid for the abortion, leaving the host to deny it outright. Walker slammed Warnock as a Baptist pastor who supported abortion rights.
“You didn’t knock those babies out, why didn’t you baptize those babies?” he said.
“God has given us a choice, and I respect women’s right to make decisions,” Warnock said, adding that Walker “wanted to put more power in the hands of politicians than God”.
Warnock and his fellow Democrat Jon Ossoff won Senate seats in the January 2021 special election, two months after Joe Biden defeated him by less than 12,000 votes in Georgia. Trump. It was the first time a Democrat won a federal election in the state in two decades, raising questions about whether Warnock could win again if Biden’s approval ratings dipped.
On-site voting began on Monday. The result will help determine control of the Senate, which is currently split 50-50.
On stage, Walker claimed Warnock was a Biden puppet, saying the election was about what they “did to you and your family” in an inflationary economy. Warnock said the election was about “who is ready to represent Georgia.”
Walker blamed Warnock and Biden for inflation, but offered few comments when asked what he would do to address the issue. The first step, Walker said, is to “return” to energy independence, rather than relying on “our enemies.” The U.S. has never been exempt from importing fossil fuels, some of which come from countries like Russia.
Warnock highlighted Biden’s Reducing Inflation Act, focusing on provisions he initiated to limit insulin and other health care costs, the expansion of the child tax credit and the infrastructure provisions he led with Republicans. He gave few details on further steps.
Warnock declined to say whether the nearly 80-year-old Biden should seek re-election in 2024. Walker says Biden is legally winning in 2020, which runs counter to Trump. But he said he would support Trump if he ran in 2024. Both Walker and Warnock said they would accept their election results.
The two discussed their personal lives. A recent report by The Daily Beast revealed records of abortion receipts and personal checks that Walker paid a woman for an abortion. Walker’s denial continued even after the woman claimed to be the mother of one of his four children. Walker only publicly acknowledged the three children for the first time since The Beast reported.
Other reports detail how Walker exaggerated academic achievements, business success and philanthropy, as well as allegations that he threatened his ex-wife’s life, beyond the details he admitted in his 2008 memoir. In one of his most effective debate moves, Warnock referred to such stories.
“Tonight we will see again and again, as we have always seen, that my opponents have questions about the truth,” Warnock said.
Warnock denied reports that a foundation linked to Ebenezer Baptist Church, where he serves as senior pastor, had evicted tenants from real estate assets, and Warnock said Walker was trying to “tarnish the Martin Luther King Jr. Church.” name”.
Walker pointed to his memoir, which detailed a diagnosis of dissociative personality disorder.Walker says he has “always been transparent” and “continues to[d] If I need help, I can ask for help, but I don’t need any help. I’m very good. I’m ready to take the lead today. “
Walker turned down the three debates typical of a Georgia campaign. The Savannah debate does not include Chase Oliver, a liberal who didn’t meet the voting threshold. Warnock will meet Oliver at Sunday’s debate sponsored by the Atlanta Press Club. Walker will be represented by an empty podium.