Republicans have had a public and personal lament over the previous few months: Given the headwinds Democrats are dealing with, the occasion can be additional forward in key Senate races had GOP main voters nominated totally different candidates. These voters gave them Mehmet Oz in Pennsylvania, Blake Masters in Arizona, and J.D. Vance in Ohio, all of whom beat out extra mainstream Republicans and all of whom are locked in tight struggles with Democratic opponents in swing states.

With the continuing revelations he’s confronted, nonetheless, Herschel Walker is maybe the prime instance of the GOP’s candidate-quality downside.

On Wednesday, Walker was attacked — once more — for being a hypocrite on the difficulty of abortion after a second lady claimed he’d pressured her into getting the process and drove her to acquire one in 1993. This allegation follows that of one other lady who informed The Every day Beast in early October that Walker helped pay for her abortion in 2009.

Each ladies stated they spoke out as a consequence of Walker’s inconsistency on the topic: He’s lengthy taken a hard-line stance on abortion, beforehand stating that he’d again an abortion ban with out exceptions, although he’s since softened that place. Walker has flatly denied each allegations, calling the latest declare “foolishness.”

The newest abortion allegation is along with a collection of bombshells which have emerged about Walker all through the marketing campaign. Whereas his soccer superstar and Donald Trump’s encouragement had been sufficient to win his main, he’s had a troubled historical past that included coverage gaffes and a lot of home violence allegations.

Georgia is a very unhealthy place for Republicans to have a foul candidate. As Republicans stare down a aggressive map to retake Senate management, their hopes of flipping seats relaxation on states like Nevada and Georgia, which have seen narrower polling margins. Walker’s myriad points are actually weighing him down in a spot that must be in any other case gettable for the occasion. Whereas different Republicans, like Gov. Brian Kemp and lieutenant governor nominee Burt Jones, have constantly led within the polls, Walker has not too long ago trailed Democratic incumbent Sen. Raphael Warnock.

It’s removed from clear that Walker’s baggage will likely be decisive within the race. In line with FiveThirtyEight, Warnock noticed some slight positive aspects in polling after the Every day Beast story got here out in early October, although polls stay tight. Partisanship runs deep in Georgia, and Republican voters confirmed with their Trump help lately that they’re keen to miss private hypocrisy for a GOP win.

“Walker’s imprecise, generally incoherent solutions on coverage questions, his historical past of home violence — these are all issues that make him a less-than-ideal candidate,” says Emory College political scientist Andra Gillespie. “If the Republican nominee had been the state agriculture commissioner, I believe that the race would nonetheless be aggressive, however he may need been performing within the neighborhood of Brian Kemp.”

The revelations about Walker, briefly defined

Questions on whether or not Herschel Walker was ready for a marketing campaign started even earlier than he jumped into the Republican main, when Trump was encouraging him to hitch the race.

“I do know nationwide Republican leaders who spoke to him and expressed skepticism about his means to run a marketing campaign and lift funds,” says Ralph Reed, a good friend of Walker’s and former chair of the Georgia Republican Celebration, who argues that these critiques “underestimated” Walker’s means to win. As of late October, Walker and Warnock are throughout the margin of error of each other in FiveThirtyEight’s polling aggregator.

Broadly, information stories about Walker have underscored hypocrisy on points like abortion in addition to his critiques of absentee fathers, elevating questions on his consistency and dedication to socially conservative insurance policies. Moreover, home violence and stalking allegations have pointed to issues about his character and previous therapy of romantic companions and members of the family.

A few of the points which have emerged:

Home violence and stalking allegations: Walker has confronted home violence allegations from a number of ladies, together with two he was allegedly romantically concerned with. Grossman, his ex-wife, has accused him of threatening to kill her on two events, as soon as whereas he held a gun to her head and as soon as holding a razor to her throat. A choose had beforehand granted a protecting order to Grossman, noting that Walker posed “a clear and current hazard of household violence.”

Walker has not denied these incidents however stated he doesn’t recall them, pointing to his struggles with psychological well being and dissociative id dysfunction, which may embrace reminiscence loss as a symptom. As PolitiFact notes, Walker has not been arrested or charged with a criminal offense.

Walker and Grossman have each spoken about these allegations previous to the marketing campaign in interviews with ABC and CNN in 2008. Walker has additionally written in regards to the challenges he’s confronted with dissociative id dysfunction in a 2008 guide, which describes the potential for violent ideas. “He has owned up, apologized, gotten therapy and since devoted his life to sharing his story to assist others,” the marketing campaign stated in a press release to PolitiFact about previous incidents of home violence.

One other lady that Walker was concerned with has additionally accused him of threatening to kill her, whereas a 3rd lady has accused him of stalking her, each allegations that his marketing campaign denied to PolitiFact. In his Twitter thread, Walker’s son Christian Walker additionally referenced threats of violence that he and his mom, Grossman, confronted, alleging that his father “threatened to kill us, and had us transfer over 6 occasions in 6 months operating from [his] violence.”

On the Democratic aspect, Warnock has confronted allegations of home violence from his ex-wife, Ouleye Ndoye, as nicely. Beforehand, she accused him of operating over her foot throughout an argument, which he has denied. PolitiFact notes that medical professionals didn’t see accidents to Ndoye’s foot on the time.

Previous actions on abortion: The Every day Beast story alleges that Walker coated the price of a former girlfriend’s abortion in 2009 after they had been relationship, one thing that was not beforehand publicly identified. As proof, she supplied a receipt for the process, a photograph of a verify signed by Walker, and a “get nicely” card that was despatched on the time. The identical lady additionally informed The New York Instances that Walker pressured her to get a second abortion.

Walker had beforehand taken one of many hardest-line stances on abortion of any Republican candidate, expressing his help for a ban that doesn’t embrace exceptions for rape, incest, or the lifetime of the mom. “I simply can’t with the hypocrisy anymore,” the lady, who requested anonymity to guard her privateness, informed the Every day Beast. Walker later softened his place on the difficulty, noting that he would help exceptions included in Georgia’s six-week abortion ban.

A second nameless lady has additionally stated that Walker pressured her to get an abortion and drove her to the clinic when she turned pregnant within the Nineties. This second allegation was introduced through a digital press convention led by legal professional Gloria Allred in late October.

“We don’t want individuals within the US Senate who profess one factor and do one other,” the lady stated.

Walker has flatly denied each stories.

Feedback on absentee fathers: Previously, Walker has criticized absentee fathers, although a number of information stories have now recommended that he has at the very least one youngster he doesn’t see. Along with his grownup son, Christian, Walker has three kids he didn’t acknowledge publicly earlier than they had been reported on, together with at the very least one he appeared to play little function in elevating, in accordance with the Every day Beast. “I help all of them and love all of them. I’ve by no means denied my kids,” Walker has beforehand stated. One other Every day Beast report described how Walker had lied to his marketing campaign in regards to the existence of his kids, suggesting that a few of his personal staffers seen him as a legal responsibility.

Misrepresentation of previous achievements: Walker has confronted questions over exaggerations about his achievements and file, together with about his commencement from the College of Georgia, his expertise in regulation enforcement, the scale of his meals enterprise, and the charitable donations made by his firm. Walker left the College of Georgia in his junior 12 months with a purpose to play soccer professionally. He additionally said that he had labored in regulation enforcement, when there’s not a transparent file of that. In a debate with Warnock, Walker took out a pretend honorary deputy badge, which he has been showcasing on the marketing campaign path as nicely.

Previous claims he’s made in regards to the dimension of his enterprise and the sum of money it was donating to charities even have little proof backing them up.

Coverage gaffes: There are a number of feedback Walker has made which have spurred questions on his coverage expertise. He beforehand argued that “clear air” from the US floated to China and defeated the aim of investments to handle such air pollution, a press release that’s counter to scientific proof. Moreover, he recommended that inflation was a ladies’s concern as a result of “they’ve obtained to purchase groceries,” a press release that prompted pushback for its sexist framing.

Voter issues about Walker have been evident in polling: An October Quinnipiac survey discovered that fifty % of Georgia respondents stated they’d a positive opinion of Warnock, whereas simply 39 % felt the identical about Walker.

The influence they might have in Georgia

Walker’s points may value Republicans the Senate seat in Georgia, although there are nonetheless some main components working in his favor.

For one, there are nationwide developments that bode nicely for all Republican candidates. The occasion in energy usually faces a backlash within the midterms that might be additional exacerbated by the president’s unpopularity.

In an October Civiqs ballot, 37 % of Georgia respondents stated they accepted of the job President Joe Biden was doing, in comparison with roughly 40 % who accomplish that nationwide, in accordance with a FiveThirtyEight survey aggregator. A majority of Georgia’s possible voters additionally rated value of residing, jobs, and the financial system as an important points within the upcoming election in a Monmouth ballot, with many conservatives blaming Biden and Democrats for driving costs up.

“Persons are going to vote with their pocketbooks and wallets, not a lot on the emotional aspect of issues. They’re being affected by inflation, fuel costs, and now you’ve got rates of interest going up,” says Marci McCarthy, the chair of the DeKalb County Republicans.

Some voters may additionally be keen to miss Walker’s flaws as a result of they’re considering seeing a Republican Senate majority that can verify a Democratic administration. As a result of it is likely one of the few seats that’s thought-about a real swing state, the Georgia Senate race may decide which occasion secures a majority. A September CBS Information ballot highlighted this dynamic: 72 % of Walker voters stated they had been backing him with a purpose to oppose Biden, and 86 % stated they had been doing so to assist Republicans achieve management of the Senate.

Walker’s superstar standing as a soccer participant within the state may additionally assist insulate him with sure voters. Walker received the Heisman Trophy whereas he was a operating again on the College of Georgia, the place he helped the varsity safe a nationwide championship.

“Not solely Georgia, however Alabama, Mississippi, Tennessee, we actually do love our soccer,” says Camilla Moore, the chair of the Georgia Black Republican Council, who famous that individuals will “all the time view Herschel as that champion with the Georgia Bulldogs.”

Past nationwide developments, the state’s Republican lean may additionally profit Walker. Though demographic modifications in Georgia, together with an inflow of Black, Latino, and Asian American voters — together with aggressive turnout efforts led by gubernatorial nominee Stacey Abrams — have helped make the citizens extra pleasant to Democrats, specialists say Republicans maintain a slender edge. If Republicans are in a position to mobilize their voters in increased numbers than the 2020 turnout, that would contribute to pushing Walker excessive.

“I believe the state continues to be a little bit extra Republican than Democrat. In that respect, Warnock is swimming towards the tide,” says Charles Bullock, a political scientist on the College of Georgia.

The true query will likely be whether or not reasonable Republicans and unbiased voters are keen to miss the various issues which have been raised with Walker’s candidacy. Average, college-educated white ladies, particularly, are a contingent that the allegations of home violence may flip away, specialists inform Vox. Given how a lot help Kemp has appeared to choose up, together with with moderates, Walker faces the problem of making certain that these voters don’t break up their ticket and vote for Warnock or select the libertarian candidate within the race.

“​​I believe on this race, it’s going to be down for Herschel to the suburban white, college-educated voters, particularly ladies. If these voters, who are actually voting for Kemp in large numbers, break for Herschel, he’ll win,” stated Reed.

Replace, October 26, 5:45 pm ET: This story was initially revealed on October 4 and has been up to date, together with most not too long ago to incorporate a brand new allegation raised towards Walker.