Live updates: Herschel Walker, Raphael Warnock debate concludes. Walker would support Trump, his necklace and more

U.S. Senate candidates Herschel Walker and incumbent Sen. Raphael Warnock are set to face off in a highly anticipated debate on Friday in Savannah.

Majority control of the Senate, which is currently split evenly, is at stake in the race and the seat held by Warnock is one of 35 up for grabs in the November midterm election.

Walker is a beloved University of Georgia football icon. Though he is a seasoned public speaker, this will be Walker's first political debate.

Warnock is a pastor who leads the home church of civil rights icon Martin Luther King, Jr.  He won his seat in a 2020 special election to fill the remainder of Johnny Isakson's term, who stepped down at the end of 2019 due to health reasons.

The debate venue, District Live, is on the small side with a capacity of 440 patrons, and tickets to attend were not offered to the public.

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8 p.m. | Debate concludes

The Herschel Walker-Raphael Warnock debate closed just before 8 p.m. The two candidates shook hands, with chants of "Herschel! Herschel! Herschel!" ringing from the audience.

7:55 p.m. | Walker would support Trump 2024 run

Asked if he would back former President Donald Trump in a 2024 run for the White House, Walker said, "Of course. President Trump is my friend. I support my friends."

7:50 p.m. | Focus on Herschel Walker's necklace

Herschel Walker wore his St. Michael the Archangel pendant outside his dress shirt during the debate. St. Michael is a Roman Catholic saint invoked for protection. Michael is cited in the Book of Revelation as one of the archangels who does battle with Satan.

7:35 p.m. | Moderator chastises Walker for 'prop'

In a heated exchange over Herschel Walker's claims regarding working in law enforcement, Walker pulled what appeared to be a police badge out of his suitcoat pocket. Moderator Tina Tyus-Shaw, an anchor with WSAV-TV, quickly intervened, reminding Walker that "props" are prohibited under the debate rules. Walker reluctantly obliged.

7:25 p.m. | Warnock calls for college costs reforms

Sen. Raphael Warnock trumpeted his work with President Joe Biden to forgive up to $20,000 worth of student loan debt. He went further during the debate, calling for reform on college costs.

"We need reform. We shouldn't be doing this again 10 years from now," Warnock said. "College is outpacing everything else in our economy."

Walker proposed a reform policy: "Get rid of federal funding for any colleges that raise their costs."

7:20 p.m. | 2020 election not in question, Walker says

Asked about the 2020 presidential outcome, Herschel Walker acknowledged that Joe Biden defeated Donald Trump and Raphael Warnock defeated David Perdue. "That's why I'm running," Walker said.

7:05 p.m. | Walker on the offensive

Herschel Walker punctuated his opening statement, in which he faulted Sen. Raphael Warnock for Democratic leadership in the U.S. Senate, with a zinger: "I'm here to fix it."

7 p.m. | What is Newsnation?

The debate is being hosted by NewsNation, the cable news network operated by Nexstar, a national media company that owns local affiliate stations, including Savannah's WSAV-TV. NewsNation launched in early 2021 and plans to grow into a 24-hour news network by 2024.

6:20 p.m. | Debate starts in 40 minutes

The television broadcast of the Walker-Warnock debate starts at 7 p.m. Currently the Atlanta Braves' playoff game is in the fifth inning. Could present a conundrum for Georgians.

6 p.m. | Chase Oliver protests exclusion

Libertarian candidate for Senate Chase Oliver, who was not invited to participate in the debate, was speaking with people outside the venue. He wants Georgians to know they have more than two candidates for Senate.

"My broad platform is that it's about time we get work done in Washington," he said. "I want to be an honest broker"

Oliver said that many other democracies have multiple parties, and that having just two has prevented necessary work happening.

"It's because we have so much partisanship that we have so much stalemate," he said.

He was also handing out hanger cards with his main policy ideas, including immigration reform, ending the war on drugs, and defending civil liberties.

"My platform is about letting you be whoever you want to be, as long as you do it in peace," he said.

Oliver will be in the Senate debate on Oct. 16, which Walker will not be participating in.

- Abe Kenmore

5:35 p.m. | Walker, Warnock supporters gather

Groups with signs supporting Walker and Warnock gathered outside the debate venue, attempting to out-shout each other with slogans.

Ted Molhman came out with Herschel Walker — his English Foxhound, not the candidate.

"As bad as things are, we need a change," he said.

Molhman said he knew Warnock and thought he was a good man, but too close to Joe Biden.

Joyce Daly from Savannah actually has a ticket for the debate. She is involved with Priests for Life, an anti-abortion group, and Women Speak Out PAC, and said her major issues are opposing abortion and mental health.

"He's very pro life and he's a Christian now, he found Jesus," she said.

She hopes that the debate will help "people to realize the topics Herschel will tackle are topics that need to be brought to light."

- Abe Kenmore

5:05 p.m. | Lawrenceville couple hopes to attend debate

Lincoln Millwood and Daphne Richardson travelled from Lawrenceville, Georgia, hoping to be part of the live audience for the Herschel Walker-Raphael Warnock debate. Richardson said she is voting for Warnock because he "supports all people and the well being of them. He supports a woman’s right to choose. In terms of Walker, I don’t like the fact that we’ve allowed someone in this race that has a history of domestic disputes. He doesn’t seem truthful about anything he says.”

- Latrice Williams

1 p.m. | Plant Riverside is debate central

No one can talk around Plant Riverside today and not know there's a special event tonight: Network news crews have set up live shot locations along the riverwalk, Walker-Warnock debate banners hang on light posts and the entrance to the debate venue, District Live, features a large window decal promoting the event.

For all the political eye candy, though, what most commands the senses the most is a smell - a Plant Riverside restaurant is smoking pork in a large smoker sitting on the plaza across from the District Live entrance. No matter how the debate goes, nobody should go home hungry.

- Adam Van Brimmer

10:45 a.m. | Savannah Democrats stump for Warnock

Savannah Mayor Van Johnson and several prominent Democrats hosted a press event on behalf of Sen. Raphael Warnock in Monterey Square. Johnson called Savannah "the center of the political universe" in a nod to Friday night's debate.

Warnock did not attend because he was prepping for the debate.

Other dignitaries included Savannah Alderman Linda Wilder Bryan, Chatham Commissioner Aaron Whitely, Georgia House Rep. Derek Mallow, Georgia House candidate Anne Allen Westbrook and U.S. House candidate Wade Herring.

- Adam Van Brimmer

7:25 a.m. | The stage is set

The media will get their first look at the venue setup at 1 p.m. today when the media room at District Live opens. The performance hall is part of a hotel and entertainment district known as Plant Riverside, built from the shell of a century-old power generation station along the Savannah River.

- Adam Van Brimmer

6:45 a.m. | Debate prep

For Herschel Walker, Friday night will make his debate debut. He declined to participate in GOP primary debates ahead of the May vote. He has reportedly been working with debate specialist Gail Gilcho, a frequent aide to Republican presidential candidates, such as Mitt Romney and John McCain.

- Adam Van Brimmer

6:30 a.m. | One candidate in town

Sen. Raphael Warnock's campaign bus was spotted Thursday afternoon motoring through  downtown Savannah in the direction of the debate venue, Plant Riverside's District Live.

- Adam Van Brimmer

This article originally appeared on Savannah Morning News: Walker Warnock debate: Georgia senate debate updates