Did Herschel Walker Announce Georgia Senate Run Before Meeting With Donald Trump?

On Tuesday, former President Donald Trump announced that former NFL star Herschel Walker plans to challenge Sen. Raphael Warnock for his Senate seat in the 2022 midterm election.

During an appearance on the Clay Travis and Buck Sexton radio show, the hosts asked Trump about a possible Walker run for the Senate.

Trump stated, “He told me he’s going to, and I think he will. I had dinner with him a week ago. He’s a great guy. He’s a patriot. And he’s a very loyal person, he’s a very strong person. They love him in Georgia, I’ll tell you.” 

But did Herschel himself reveal his plans even before he met with Trump?

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Close To Making A Decision

A report from the Atlanta Journal-Constitution says that in a statement made on Tuesday evening, Walker says he is “looking at the race closely,” and plans on making a final decision soon.

But eagle-eyed viewers of his Twitter feed noticed a tweet he sent even before he met with Trump, where he may have announced his intention to run.

In a video, Walker shows off his Nissan GT-R sports car, revving the engine. 

He points to the car and says, “He’s ready!” While walking to the back of the car, Walker says, “I’m getting ready! And we can run with the big dogs,” and points out his Georgia license plate. 

The Georgia license plate is significant, since Walker reportedly lives at least part-time in Texas, not Georgia.

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What The Field Looks Like So Far

The field of Republican Senate candidates in the Peach State could be an interesting one. After losing both Senate seats to the Democrats in 2020, Republicans in Georgia would love to get at least one of those seats back.

In addition to Walker possibly throwing his hat in the ring, the other candidate with name recognition is former Sen. Kelly Loeffler, who lost to Warnock in 2020. Four-term Congressman Buddy Carter, who represents a district near Savannah but has never run for state-wide office, is also considering a senate run, as is state Agriculture Commissioner Gary Black.

But with Walker having yet to make a decision, GOP strategists say that is keeping many candidates’ would-be campaigns on hold. Eric Tanenblatt, a top GOP fundraiser, said, “I guess my hope is that if Herschel does it, he decides to do it sooner than later. You have people waiting to jump on board, but it almost becomes a little too late.” 

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Walker Very Popular In Georgia 

Walker is no doubt a favorite son of Georgia.

As a freshman in 1980, he led the University of Georgia Bulldogs to a national championship, and was a Heisman Trophy winner in 1982. He played in the USFL league for three years.

After that league folded, he spent 11 years in the NFL with the Dallas Cowboys, Minnesota Vikings, Philadelphia Eagles, and the New York Giants. Currently, among his business interests, he owns a Georgia-based poultry supplier.