U.S. Senate candidate Herschel Walker talks faith, football at Savannah visit

Standing center stage in the school auditorium, the number 34 lit up next to him, the former University of Georgia running back spoke about early childhood struggles growing up in rural Wrightsville, Georgia, including being overweight and unable to speak without a stutter. He overcame those challenges to lead the Bulldogs to a national championship in 1981 and won the Heisman Trophy a year later. Drafted in 1985, Walker retired from professional football in 1997.

In 2002, Walker founded Renaissance Man Food Services, a chicken processing and product supplier with offices in Georgia, Arkansas, and Texas, where he has lived for the last decade.

After he announced his decision to run again freshman Democratic Sen. Raphael Warnock in late August, Walker quickly gained the endorsement of former President Donald Trump.

'Mad at both of them'

On Monday, Walker sparked national headlines when, at a University of North Georgia student gathering, he said he did not support either Gov. Brian Kemp or his challenger, former U.S. Sen. David Perdue, for the gubernatorial primary to be held in May. According to audio obtained by the Atlanta Journal Constitution, Walker said he was "mad at both of them."

Credit: Richard Burkhart/Savannah Morning News

Credit: Richard Burkhart/Savannah Morning News

"This is what I want to say to everyone here: I want to bring this party together," Walker reportedly said on Monday. He clarified today before his speech that if either Kemp or Perdue wins the primary contest, he would support the victor's election campaign.

In a two-minute interview following his talk at Savannah Christian, Walker said he decided to run because he was concerned about the country's direction. "With all the inflation, with all the border — gotta protect the border — so much is going on. It's sad."

During the speech, however, Walker shared little of his political beliefs or positions. When reached for comment, Walker's campaign communications director Mallory Blount clarified that Walker is mostly focused on "economic issues, immigration, crime and mental health."

Blount said Walker, who wrote about his dissociative identity disorder diagnosis in his 2008 memoir, has visited 415 military bases to speak about mental health.

Drew Favakeh is the public safety and public health reporter for Savannah Morning News. You can reach him at AFavakeh@savannahnow.com.

This article originally appeared on Savannah Morning News: U.S. Senate candidate Herschel Walker talks faith, football at Savannah visit