Herschel Walker, Texas Resident, Running For Senate In Georgia ... Because?

But WHYYYYYYY?

Yesterday Donald Trump announced that former football star Herschel Walker will be declaring his candidacy for Georgia's US Senate race very soon.

"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," the former president gabbled to conservative talkshow host Buck Sexton. "And he's a very loyal person, he's a very strong person. They love him in Georgia, I'll tell you."

Well, they love him from afar. Because Walker has lived in Texas for decades and would have to actually move back to the Peach State to be eligible for a run. In theory he's going to announce next week, after the July 4 holiday. And indeed the former running back tweeted this video last week showcasing a car with Georgia plates.

Georgia on my mind https: //t.co/JdKJ193Nkn

— Herschel Walker (@Herschel Walker) 1623939444.0 

The car appears to be running inside a closed garage, which may or may not be a metaphor for ... something.

But why is this happening? Is there some great "Draft Herschel Walker" movement afoot in Georgia? Have "the people" risen up with one voice to say that Walker is the one to rid them of Sen. Raphael Warnock when he runs for a full term in 2022?

Nope! There's one voice clamoring for a Walker run, and it's the voice of Donald Trump. The same guy who got Democrat Laura Kelly elected governor of Kansas by endorsing that ranting himbo Kris Kobach in the Republican primary. But why would the former president decide that Walker, who has long been open about his mental health struggles and has no governing experience, is the man for the job? It couldn't possibly be that he thinks Black Georgians will split their vote if a Black man with high name recognition is on the ballot, could it?

"I think he'd win. I think it would be very, very hard to beat Herschel," Trump blathered to Sexton. "They have the ballads, they made ballads to Herschel. They still sing them all the time. So I think beating him would be very tough. And I think he's going to run."

OH.

Well, at least he didn't say "spirituals."

Dems: We turned out the Black vote. GOP: Get me one of our blacks. [5,000 pathetic brothers raise their hands] GOP… https://t.co/iozbHaqwIN

— Elie Mystal (@Elie Mystal) 1625007588.0 

And as craven and willing to play racial politics as Republicans are — all the while complaining about critical race theory and identity politics — they don't seem particularly impressed with this subtle plan.

"Well, I've met him," Mitch McConnell told CNN when asked about Walker's possible candidacy in April.

This morning, Erick son of Erick worried that Walker's "diagnosis" might leave him open to being "provoked" by "the Democrats and collaborates in the press" unless he surrounds himself with competent advisors.

"I worry a rich man from out of state with fame is going to be circled by grifters like vultures do to roadkill. He's going to need a highly competent, polished team that gets him off and running," Erickson writes. "On the GOP side of late, the rich men with high name ID are the ones who the grifters seem to take advantage of the most. The team is going to matter."

Which is hardly a ringing endorsement of Walker's political chops.

Over at The Bulwark, Tim Miller wrote a long assessment of Walker's liabilities back in March, including his apparent willingness to be led down the rabbithole of batshit insane conspiracy theories by his social media star son, Christian Walker.

For instance, Christian crams all of the following conspiracies into one 35 second clip : "Jim Crow" Joe Biden is a "drug addict" because he is "refusing a drug test," he was demanding breaks every 30 minutes to get his diaper changed or sniff a child backstage, and that his press secretary was talking in his ear during debates. He goes on to call Biden a dementia patient, an elderly patient (?), and an unstable man. Which is a little weird since (a) Joe Biden has never copped to playing Russian Roulette or putting a gun to his wife's head and (b) presumably the Walkers would tell you that being mentally unstable should not be disqualifying for high office.

And indeed, where the son has gone, the father has followed, doubling down on every deranged MAGA-spiracy, and even tweeting on the evening of January 6, "Seems like this was well planned to shut everything down and run the clock out." FFS, the man suggested last year that China funds the Black Lives Matter movement. So much for competent advisors.

For his part, Walker released a statement yesterday in his finest Trump-ese, claiming to be "humbled by the encouragement from people all around Georgia and across the country who want me to run for US Senate - people are calling nonstop. I'm honored to have President Donald J. Trump's encouragement, too."

"We are looking at the race closely and we will make a final decision sometime soon. I'm not a politician — I'm working on my timetable, not anyone else's," said the guy who has allowed Warnock to build up a $6 million war chest while actual politicians spin their wheels waiting for him to make up his mind.

"Georgia is my home — I love Georgia, and I love this country," the suburban Dallas resident continued. "And I believe we need fighters to step forward and help save both. Know this much: If I run, I'll be all-in, and we will do whatever it takes to win for Georgia."

Which is no doubt a great comfort to the other Republicans in the race, including most prominently Gary Black, Georgia's Agriculture Commissioner, who presumably knows how to run an effective campaign in Georgia, where he is also a resident.

Ah, well. Let's just do it and be legends, man.

[ Politico / Erickson Substack / AJC / Bulwark ]

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