Abortion scandal deepens for Senate candidate Herschel Walker
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(NewsNation) — With one month to go until Georgia voters head to the polls in the state’s critical Senate race, the abortion scandal deepens for Republican Senate candidate Herschel Walker.
According to new reporting from The Daily Beast and the New York Times, the woman who claims Walker paid for her to have an abortion in 2009 is saying he also urged her to end a second pregnancy two years later. She chose to have their son instead, and their relationship ended, according to the Times’ reporting.
Walker, the former football star who said back in May that he supports a full ban on abortions, with no exceptions, denied the initial reports this week about paying for the abortion.
“This here, this abortion thing is false, it’s a lie,” Walker said denying the reports.
Republican leaders including Florida’s Rick Scott, South Carolina’s Lindsey Graham and Ronna McDaniel, the RNC Chair, have stood by Walker despite the allegation, all knowing what hangs in the balance.
The Georgia race between Walker and Democratic Senator Raphael Warnock is one of, if not the most, critical and competitive Senate races of the midterm — and could decide which party has control of the chamber.
NewsNation to broadcast exclusive live national coverage of next week’s debate on Oct. 14 between Walker and Warnock, from 7-8 P.M. ET.
For some voters in Georgia, Walker’s allegations haven’t seemed to shake their support.
“I believe that Herschel may have done some things in his past that he may regrets, but I believe he’s repented of these things,” said Georgia voter Joanna Johnson.
Georgia voter Grace Lariscy would be disappointed if Walker didn’t own up to it.
“It would change. Not the fact that he did do it, but the fact that he didn’t own up to it,” she said. “That would change how I feel about him. I’m not sure it would change how I feel about him enough to change my leaning politically, but I would be greatly disappointed.”
Walker seems destined to push forward despite the drama, pointing the finger at his political opponents and staying confident he’ll win on November 7th.
“The Democrats are desperate for this seat. This seat is important,” he said. “They’re very desperate for this seat. I love my family and I’ve always loved my family. I’m going to win this race.”