Georgia 2022 Senate Election: Warnock, Walker vie for votes in crucial race
ATLANTA - With the U.S. Senate majority at stake, the eyes of the country are on Georgia's crucial midterm election between incumbent Democrat Sen. Raphael Warnock and Republican challenge Herschel Walker.
The Georgia matchup could help determine which party controls the Senate for the final two years of President Joe Biden’s term. The chamber is now divided 50-50, with Vice President Kamala Harris giving Democrats the tie-breaking vote.
Neither man is a traditional politician. Warnock is the pastor of Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta. Walker is a former college and professional football star.
KEMP, WALKER HOLD LEADS IN MAJOR GEORGIA MIDTERM RACES IN FINAL INSIDERADVANTAGE/FOX 5 POLL
Monday, both men made their last-minute pitches across the state to try and persuade any still-undecided voters to cast their ballot.
At a rally in Macon, Warnock continued to portray himself as willing to work with Republicans for the good of the state, while sharpening attacks on Walker.
"He’s pretty good at making things up and now he wants to get the rest of us to imagine with him that he is of the timber to be a United States senator," Warnock said. "Herschel Walker is neither ready nor fit to represent the people of Georgia in the United States Senate."
Warnock also attacked Walker for campaigning with Georgia Republican congressional firebrand Marjorie Taylor Greene and getting endorsed by Ye — the artist formerly known as Kanye West — even as Ye made weeks of antisemitic comments in interviews and on social media.
"Herschel Walker is demonstrating to you what kind of senator he would be by the company he’s keeping," Warnock said.
Democratic Senate Candidate Raphael Warnock (D-GA) speaks with canvass volunteers during an Augusta Canvass Launch at the Augusta-Richmond County Democrat Party Headquarters on November 05, 2022 in Augusta, Georgia. (Photo by Michael M. Santiago/Gett
Walker answered Monday evening in the Atlanta exurbs with a spirited speech attacking Warnock as a tool of President Joe Biden and national Democrats, while suggesting the senator does not have America’s best interests at heart.
"I’m running because I’m sick and tired of people not loving this country," Walker said, arguing that the U.S. "can’t be the (world) leader with these weak leaders we have now."
The Senate contest has grown more personal in closing weeks, with Walker questioning the faith of Warnock and the pastor saying his opponent "lies about the most basic facts of his life."
Both candidates have been hammering the importance of voter turnout and urging people to get to the polls. The race appears to be extremely close, with a InsiderAdvantage and FOX 5 poll finding Walker winning by just a few points, but still in the margin of error.
Senate candidate Herschel Walker speaks during his campaign rally in Newton, Ga., on Friday, November 4, 2022. (Bill Clark/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)
So far, a record-breaking more than 2.5 million Georgians have cast their ballots in the election. Polls open all across the state at 7 a.m. and end at 7 p.m.
To find your polling place, go to the Georgia Secretary of State's website.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
BOTH CANDIDATES HAVE BEEN HAMMERING THE IMPORTANCE OF VOTER TURNOUT AND URGING PEOPLE TO GET TO THE POLLS.
AND SO FAR IT’S WORKING. GEORGIA SHATTERED ITS ALL TIME MIDTERM EARLY VOTER TURNOUT THIS YEAR, WITH OVER 2 MILLION PEOPLE CASTING THEIR BALLOTS BEFORE ELECTION DAY.