Herschel Walker sits within the eating room of his Atlanta residence, his blue shirt embellished with an American flag folded right into a triangle. Emblazoned beneath are the phrases “Folds of Honor,” a charity that raises cash for kids of navy members who’ve been killed or injured.

“I used to be actually impressed with the work they did. I additionally actually just like the shirt,” Walker mentioned with a disarming smile.

It’s simple to see why Walker, a pro-football operating again who gained the Heisman Trophy in 1982, simply gained Georgia’s Republican nomination for the US Senate in Might, his first-ever run for workplace. Thus far, the 60-year-old candidate has scored endorsements each from former president and long-time buddy Donald Trump and Senate Minority Chief Mitch McConnell — two males who don’t all the time see eye to eye. Though Walker’s opponent, Democrat Sen. Raphael Warnock, is main by 1.5 share factors in response to present polling averages, some consultants feel the race is even tighter.

Walker admitted to me that he doesn’t sound like a typical politician. And he’s OK with that.

Most individuals, he mentioned, are fairly sick of politicians, “and I’m sick and bored with it.”

“We discuss concerning the border. And the way lengthy have we been speaking about college alternative? We’ve been speaking about weapons. We’ve been speaking about these things endlessly. Effectively, possibly they want some outsiders to come back in now with some higher concepts.”

Walker’s Senate run sparked the latest exposé that he “secretly” fathered two sons he has not publicly acknowledged. One is 13 and lives in Texas along with his mom; the opposite is 10 and was born to a girl who went to court docket for a paternity declaration and little one assist. (Walker additionally has a really seen 22-year-old son, Christian Walker, who has performed a task in his political efforts, and a daughter, Emily, now in her late 30s, whom he fathered when he was in faculty.)

Walker was accused of hypocrisy, given his earlier criticisms of “fatherless properties” within the black neighborhood.

“I need to apologize to the African-American neighborhood, as a result of the fatherless house is a serious, main downside,” Walker mentioned in a September 2020 interview. In a 2019 interview with Diamond and Silk, he added that males want to enter neighborhoods and change into “fathers of these fatherless” youngsters.

However Walker insists he by no means hid his two sons. Actually, he disclosed all 4 of his youngsters when Trump appointed him to the President’s Health Council — a federal advisory committee that promotes wholesome residing. However as soon as Walker determined to run for public workplace, he mentioned he didn’t discuss concerning the youngest two out of respect for his or her privateness and the privateness of their moms.

“I didn’t need them to change into political props,” he mentioned in a press release to The Publish. “I knew once I obtained into politics that individuals would come after me, however I ask them to go away my children out of this.

“I’ve 4 children and love each one in every of them,” he added. “Being a father has been one in every of my best accomplishments in life.”

Divorced from his first spouse Cindy Grossman, the mom of Christian, Walker is at present married to Julie Walker, with whom he has no youngsters. Although in 2005 Grossman accused Walker of violent habits, he mentioned they’re now buddies and have efficiently co-parented their son.

In the meantime, Warnock is going through his personal home troubles. The senator and lead pastor of the Ebenezer Baptist Church not too long ago requested a court docket to seal his divorce case, which particulars an unpleasant custody battle along with his ex-wife Ouleye Ndoye, who claims he “harassed” her and uncared for their youngsters.

In brief, Walker’s race towards Warnock may very well be one of the crucial contentious — and vital — within the November midterms. Democrats will spend tens of millions to maintain Warnock in workplace simply to take care of their slim 51/50 majority within the Senate, whereas Republicans are betting on Walker to assist reclaim their energy within the chamber.

However Walker insists his assaults towards Warnock will stay political, not private, focusing as an alternative on the insurance policies of President Biden and his Democratic Congress.

“Fuel costs, inflation, the disaster on the border, spending, crime. Let everybody be sincere, we are able to’t reside like this and I don’t know who can simply sit again and say, ‘Oh, every thing is okay.’ It’s not.” 

Walker vs. Warnock can be the uncommon election by which each candidates are African-American. And on that difficulty, too, Walker mentioned he’s unafraid to problem people who name one thing racist that isn’t.

“The best way they attempt to cancel individuals out . . . making everybody consider that we [Republicans] are all horrible individuals. Like we’re all these racist, dangerous individuals. And I’m like, guys, I do know racism. I grew up round it.”

Walker is equally forthright about abortion. He’s vocally pro-life whereas Warnock is pro-choice. Abortion is predicted to be a key difficulty for Georgia voters in November amid the reversal of Roe v. Wade, notably amongst African-Individuals. Historically, blacks have been much less supportive of abortion than whites, however these views have shifted over the previous twenty years and a few research present blacks are much more pro-choice than whites. 

For Walker, nonetheless, abortion is a really private difficulty for him. “I’m not going to shrink back from it on the marketing campaign path. You must perceive I come from a church city; every thing on the town centered on church.”

Rising up within the tiny city of Wrightsville, Ga., as one in every of seven siblings, Walker was a stuttering, chubby little one who overcame his private hardships to change into a star not simply in soccer but additionally monitor and Olympic bobsledding.

“I all the time inform individuals my mother mentioned I used to be huge boned as a result of I used to be fats. I was fats. I used to stutter to the purpose the place I couldn’t put a sentence collectively. So, for a few years of my life, I by no means went out for a recess. And for a few years of my life, I used to get bullied loads at school,” he mentioned.

“My life modified once I obtained beat up at some point after college by this child within the eighth grade. I went residence crying and once I obtained residence I mentioned, ‘That’s sufficient. I gained’t get beat up no extra.’ That’s the day I began figuring out. That’s the day I began going to the library, getting books, studying to myself within the mirror to assist me with the stuttering.”

By highschool, Walker excelled at monitor and soccer. On the College of Georgia, he grew to become a three-time All-American champion in each sports activities. He went on to win the Heisman Trophy and was later inducted into the School Soccer Corridor of Fame.

In 1983, Walker started his professional profession with the New Jersey Generals, then a part of the USA Soccer League, which allowed faculty athletes to show professional after their junior 12 months. (Trump purchased the workforce in 1984.) In 1985, Walker moved to the NFL, first becoming a member of the Dallas Cowboys, then the Minnesota Vikings, adopted by the Philadelphia Eagles and the New York Giants, earlier than lastly returning to Dallas, the place he retired in 1997. Regardless of his prowess and lengthy profession, he by no means gained a Tremendous Bowl.

In 1999, Walker began the rooster distribution firm Renaissance Man Meals Companies, which pressured him to make public appearances and spend a whole lot of time dashing by way of airports. 

“Typically I might miss my flight as a result of I obtained there late and I used to be sleeping within the airport in a single day and depart the following morning,” he recalled. “Folks thought I actually wanted a job, [but] I didn’t want a job. That’s what I used to be taught from my mother and father, the best way to work laborious.”

In 2008, Walker detailed his battle with dissociative identification dysfunction — a a number of persona dysfunction because of unresolved childhood trauma — in his memoir “Breaking Free.” He’s additionally visited navy bases throughout the nation to speak about psychological well being.

“It was all in an effort to take away the stigmas of addressing and admitting you might be coping with an issue,” he mentioned. “[Mental health] is a matter nobody needs to cope with or is provided to cope with however it’s impacting so many issues in our society.”

Walker is likable and personable, with an air of authenticity that helps him join with voters. And this may simply be his “secret” method for profitable the election.

“He’s very uncooked,” mentioned Republican voter Joe Cobb, an government from suburban Atlanta. “He’s like, ‘I’ve had psychological points’ and that’s laborious for somebody of his stature to do.

“He’s not a politician,” he added. “This present day that performs to your strengths and never being a politician is Herschel’s energy.”

Atlanta-based conservative radio host Erick Erickson agrees. The press, he mentioned, doesn’t “perceive how unsettled voters are over issues like inflation, the border, crime, you identify it. Voters don’t need to put the individuals again in workplace who precipitated this, so that they’ll take a threat with the outsider.”

Walker mentioned that at each stage of his private journey — whether or not or not it’s soccer, enterprise or politics — he has prayed. Religion, he mentioned, is a cornerstone of every thing he has achieved. When he determined to run for Senate, he mentioned he listened to each God and voters throughout the state.

“Folks have been like, ‘What?’ I mentioned, ‘Yeah, I need to hear what the individuals must say, as a result of once you go to Washington, you’re purported to characterize the individuals, not your self.’ ”

As he was going by way of his listening classes, Walker discovered that “70% of the medication coming into the USA goes by way of Atlanta, the place you bought human trafficking. Fentanyl is killing, it’s growing crime, however but we’re not even addressing it.”

In 2010 the DOJ reported that the Atlanta space is the principal bulk money consolidation middle for Mexican drug-trafficking organizations working within the japanese US. Extra not too long ago, the Georgia Division of Public Well being reported a 106% spike in fentanyl-related deaths between Might 2020 and April 2021. 

Walker’s positions will change into clearer when he finally debates Warnock earlier than the election. As a result of he refused to debate his Republican challengers within the major, his efficiency will possible be closely scrutinized.

However, regardless of his unconventional background and lack of political expertise, many Georgia political observers say that is Walker’s race to lose come November. Positive, he could also be a bit messy, however “every thing is working towards the Democrats, particularly in Georgia,” mentioned Erickson, who regardless of early reservations is now absolutely behind Walker. “Spend a while within the state and also you’ll perceive why Warnock is in bother.”

Walker feels the identical manner about his face-off with Warnock.

“As I advised everybody,” he mentioned, “Guys, I do know I can beat this man.”