SAVANNAH – It is one of the most anticipated face-offs of the midterm elections: Republican Herschel Walker, a onetime football star at the University of Georgia, teeing up against Democratic incumbent Raphael Warnock, pastor of one of the most storied churches in the Civil Rights struggle.
Friday’s primetime debate is the first — and likely only — time the U.S. Senate rivals will meet face-to-face in the closely-watched and consequential race. Dozens of out-of-state reporters are converging on Savannah to cover the event. Polls, including a new survey from The Atlanta Journal-Constitution and the Georgia News Collaborative, show a close race. The outcome could determine control of the U.S. Senate.
It’s the first political debate of Walker’s career. He refused to debate his GOP primary opponents this spring and rejected other general election debate invitations.
Credit: Natrice Miller / Natrice.Miller@ajc.com
Credit: Natrice Miller / Natrice.Miller@ajc.com
Gaffe prone on the campaign trail and in interviews even with friendly media outlets, Walker has lowered expectations in recent weeks.
He has called himself a “country boy” who is “not that smart” as he tried to raise the bar for Warnock.
“He’s a preacher, he’s a smart man, wears these nice suits, so he’s going to show up and embarrass me,” Walker said of the Democrat at a September campaign stop. “And I’m just waiting to show up and I will do my best.”
A key question for Warnock will be how aggressively he attacks his opponent over his history of violent behavior and recent allegations that he paid for a 2009 abortion for an ex-girlfriend despite his support for a total ban on the procedure. Walker has called the allegation a “flat-out lie.”
Memos released on Thursday by each campaign provided a preview of the lines of attack they expected to use Friday.
Warnock campaign manager Quentin Fulks said Walker’s “pattern of lies, disturbing behavior, and positions prove he is not ready to represent Georgia in the U.S. Senate.”
Walker’s camp linked his opponent to President Joe Biden.
“It is critical they know who Raphael Warnock really is and how he consistently put Joe Biden ahead of Georgia. Georgians deserve answers,” spokesman Will Kiley said.
Warnock has been unafraid to highlight Walker’s threats of abuse against his ex-wife, Cindy Grossman, in a well-financed ad campaign that features footage of Grossman from a 2008 interview. But he’s shied away from discussing the violent behavior on the campaign trail and has stuck mainly to issues, such as Medicaid expansion and infrastructure funding.
Credit: arvin.temkar@ajc.com
Credit: arvin.temkar@ajc.com
He’s had a more restrained approach toward the reports of the 2009 abortion and the ensuing reaction by Walker’s son Christian. The 23-year-old excoriated his father on social media after the abortion report first surfaced earlier this month. And Warnock has skirted other Walker controversies, such as the Republican’s previously unacknowledged children.
For Walker, staying on-message could be a challenge. The Republican has a long history of false statements and exaggeration as well as a penchant for diving into rambling anecdotes and sports stories.
But Walker has spent hours each week preparing for the debate, and has consulted with coaches to hone his performance, including Gail Gitcho, a veteran strategist brought on months ago to help stabilize his campaign. She has experience in sharpening debate skills as an operative for presidential candidates John McCain in 2008 and Mitt Romney in 2012.
Still, the image of a polished pastor on stage against a self-professed “country boy” sets up obvious challenges for the Democrat, said Karen Owen, a University of West Georgia political scientist.
“Since Walker lowered expectations, how does Warnock not appear elite and over-educated against him but still show the quality of representation that people are seeking — and yet questioning — among the field of candidates?” she said.
“He has a playbook he’s memorizing on issues and key points to hit Warnock on — but will he stay on this or veer off course?” said Owen.
The 7 p.m. debate will air on Nexstar affiliates across the state but must compete with the tail end of the Braves-Phillies playoff game.
Though Walker boasted of wanting a live studio audience to add to the raucous atmosphere, tickets were mostly limited to the campaigns. That means it could be a more sedate setting, but still a different sort of venue than a typical TV studio showdown.
“He has a playbook he’s memorizing on issues and key points to hit Warnock on — but will he stay on this or veer off course?” said Owen.
Fred Hicks, a longtime Georgia political consultant, said he’s watching two other issues: Will Warnock “embrace or run away” from President Joe Biden? And which parts of their agenda and policy stances will each candidate highlight?
“This will tell us where he believes the votes are,” said Hicks.
