Herschel Walker Ignored the Concerns of Older Georgians
Herschel Walker, the GOP's unsuccessful U.S. Senate candidate.
By Guest Columnist NAN ORROCK, Georgia State Senator.
Now that the runoff election dust has settled and Senator Raphael Warnock is returning to Washington, it’s clear that Herschel Walker’s inability to focus on the kitchen table issues cost the Republican support among our state’s most powerful constituency – older voters.
Senator Nan Orrock was first elected by Atlanta voters to the state Senate in 2006, after serving 10 terms in the state House of Representatives. She represents District 36.
I belong to that constituency. In my years as both a candidate and a voter, I’ve seen a lot of close elections. And while the December sixth runoff was a nail-biter, Warnock’s victory should come as no surprise. Polling released just before Thanksgiving showed him with a four-point lead. It also showed that 63 percent of Georgians were worried about their personal finances, an issue especially relevant to older voters on fixed incomes, many of whom have seen rising prices chip away at their savings. Oblivious to the impact of out-of-control housing costs, sky-high prescription drug prices, and attacks on essential programs like Social Security and Medicare on Georgia seniors, Walker never made them a priority in his campaign.
In their only debate, Walker touted his opposition to the Inflation Reduction Act, which included provisions to drive down prescription drug prices. When asked how Georgians should deal with record-high medication costs, Walker suggested that Georgians worried about the cost of insulin should just “eat right.” And, instead of pledging to protect essential programs older Georgians rely on like Social Security, Walker campaigned with Florida Senator Rick Scott, the architect of a policy platform that included cuts to basic healthcare and retirement benefits.
Walker did nothing to sell himself as a candidate who took the concerns of older voters seriously. His platform simply didn’t appeal to Georgians dealing with record-high inflation or older voters living on a fixed income, including the more than one million Georgians who rely on Social Security to make ends meet.
Older Georgians like me want a Senator who will protect the benefits we’ve earned. Senator Warnock made a compelling case that he would do that. Walker didn’t even try.
Walker was a loser in every way that mattered to intelligent, educated voters.Report
You are so right a loser in every way that really matteredReport
His focus was on himself, not the wellbeing of the people people.Report
Herschel Walker is a lying, uneducated Moron! The Republicans wanted him in office so that they could use him as a “Puppet” to vote their way on stupid issues! Thank God “real Americans” could see through the entire setup! Herschel Walker, as Senator, would have been a total embarrassment to Georgia and the entire world!Report
Eggs are $7 a dozen in my small town. My diabetic meds have not gone down. My electricity is up 28 percent. Walker might not have addressed these issues but neither has Warnock.Report
If you do not like your electricity bills, do not vote for Republicans running for the PSC. Supply chain issues driven by viruses wiping out the poultry industry isn’t something a single senator is going to fix. But five guys named R have EVERYTHING to do with high electricity prices. Further the D’s have been attempting to take the drug industry to task for price gouging, which is not on the incoming R Congress’s punch list of priorities.Report
Herschel Walker’s entire candidacy bid was a DISASTER from the onset and SHAME on GOP for even “propping” such a damaged and brain dead opponent with ‘name’ recognition only • he is a JOKE and embarrassment he should devote his energy to the study of former football players with obvious traumatic brain injuries.Report
You people will regret voting Warnock to represent us.Report
I will never regret supporting an intelligent, conscientious, well-prepared, articulate, man of God who clearly put the needs of the citizens of Georgia ahead of his own. In stark contrast, Walker was an embarrassment who believed his own hype. He couldn’t even make a noun and a verb agree, much less work in a bipartisan fashion. He was incapable of independent thought. And yet, the race was still close. What does that say about the voters who would support such a candidate?Report
Plus he was an idiot!Report
And yet nearly half of the voters of GA voted for Walker, twice. That is the real problem…Report
Terrific job as usual Nan!
I never heard one thing that he stated that would qualify as his platform.
The more our population ages, the closer we come to overloading our already overburden system .
Candidates need to stop making silly comments and stick to issues and get the job done!
So happy Georgia voters were able to see through the bizarre smoke screen and pick the candidate that stated his platform and plans.Report
Thanks for standing up for seniors. It is a part of the bigger issue of income inequality. Lets keep trying to take small bites out of that this session.Report
Warnock votes with everything Joe Biden says.
Joe Biden is not for the American people and neither is Warnock. What kind of Pastor who reads the Bible supports abortion at Full Term. Full term
He does not care about the people. We have high inflation. Open borders. Letting in drugs that are killing many young men in the black and white communities. He’s a parasite.Report
How much money is the incoming Republican Congress pledging to fund drug rehab programs to save those in the grips of addiction?Report
Biden passed COVID relief, a gun bill, infrastructure bill, climate bill, Inflation Reduction Act. Sounds to me like he’s working for the American people. Better than Republicans working for the 1%, the NRA, Big Oil, Big Pharma and wealthy corporations. You want to know why inflation is high? Price gouging by companies in the wake of the Trump Virus. That has nothing to do with BidenReport
You are so awesome and right . Blinders are on some eyes and minds.Report
No doubt that Walker was poorly prepared and not the right candidate for the job. On the other hand Warnock gave a lot of lip service to a lot of things that he has done absolutely nothing about. But that’s what all politicians do, isn’t it. Warnock had lots of out of state money and a slick machine putting together his political ads. Bottom line, that’s why he won!Report
The comment is on 🎯. Herchel Walker has no concern for older citizens nor his own kind. A citizen from his home town said that he only appeared once a year for parades only. And that he has none nothing for the black community.Report
The comment is on 🎯. Herchel Walker has no concern for older citizens nor his own kind. A citizen from his home town said that he only appeared once a year for parades only. And that he has done nothing for the black community.Report