Enthusiastic crowd greets Walker in Dalton

Oct. 25—Two years in Washington, D.C., is enough for Democratic U.S. Sen. Raphael Warnock of Georgia, said Republican Herschel Walker, who is challenging Warnock in the Nov. 8 general election.

Early voting is underway.

Walker spoke to an enthusiastic crowd Monday afternoon that filled a substantial portion of the parking lot of Carpets of Dalton.

Warnock defeated then-incumbent Republican Kelly Loeffler in a special election runoff in 2021 to fill the remainder of the term of Johnny Isakson, who had stepped down for health reasons. Gov. Brian Kemp named Loeffler to fill that seat until a special election could be held. November's election is for a full six-year term.

Walker criticized Warnock, a senior pastor of Atlanta's Ebenezer Baptist Church, over reports that church has filed to evict low-income tenants from an apartment building the church owns.

"He likes to quote Matthew 25 (from the Bible), when I has hungry you fed me, when I was naked, you clothed me," Walker said. "But he didn't read 'When I needed a home, you evicted me.'"

The Atlanta Journal Constitution newspaper reports that while notices of eviction have been filed, no tenant has been evicted and that a property management company runs the day-to-day operations of the building.

Walker won a Heisman Trophy and played on a national championship football team at the University of Georgia. He played in the USFL and the NFL. He competed in bobsled at the 1992 Winter Olympics, finishing seventh, and has operated a number of businesses.

He said God had prepared him for this moment.

"Everyone knows the glory, but they don't know my story," Walker said. "But I have a story to tell. Because of the grace of God, I had a chance to go to college. Because of the grace of God, I got a chance to play in the NFL. Because of the grace of God, I got a chance to be on the Olympic team. Because of the grace of God, I got a chance to build my company. But as God is getting you prepared, sometimes he's going to break you to make you."

Walker referred to his mental health issues. Walker has said he was diagnosed with dissociative identity disorder, previously known as multiple personality disorder, which he has overcome. He has been an advocate for mental health treatment and has spoken to first responders and military members about the importance of seeking help for mental health issues if they need it.

Walker's ex-wife has said some of his personalities were violent and that he held a gun to her head. Another woman has accused Walker of paying for an abortion. Walker, who opposes abortion, has denied that.

State Sen. Chuck Payne, R-Dalton, was one of those on hand to support Walker. Asked if those issues will hurt Walker, he said he doesn't think so.

"As a former juvenile probation officer, I always told the kids I worked with 'You can change,'" he said. "I don't know enough about any particulars to talk about them, but he has acknowledged he was a different man years ago. He has talked about how God has changed him, and I believe him. I believe that all of us have things in our past we would not want to be judged on."

Walker also said that if elected he will look to cut taxes and spending, though he didn't point to particular examples.

Walker was joined on his stop by U.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tennessee, and by Burt Jones, the Republican candidate for lieutenant governor in Georgia.

"He's working hard," Jones said of Walker. "He's doing this for the right reason. He has the best interests of the American people and the citizens of Georgia at heart."

Blackburn said control of the Senate could depend on Georgia.

"We are depending on you," she said. "Get out there and vote. Get your friends to vote."