Staff Reports
Former Republican Georgia Senate candidate Herschel Walker is under fire from fellow Republicans for not spending the millions of dollars left over from his failed 2022 Senate bid. According to a recent Federal Election Commission filing, Walker still had over $4 million in cash on hand at the end of March, despite losing in the Georgia runoff election to Senator Raphael Warnock.
Many Georgia Republicans believe that these funds should be used to support the GOP’s efforts to win in the upcoming November elections. They argue that the money could be put toward boosting former President Donald Trump and supporting Republican lawmakers in the key battleground state.
Republicans upset that Herschel Walker has millions in unspent campaign funds: Few are clamoring for Herschel Walker’s return to politics since he failed in his Georgia Senate bid nearly two years ago. But I’m sure they’re interested in his… https://t.co/v4smkJTSvA #Politics
— WhatsNew2Day (@whatsn2day) May 28, 2024
John Watson, ex-chairman of the Georgia GOP, expressed his disappointment, stating that the resources were given to support Walker’s candidacy as a Georgia Republican and should be used to support other Georgia Republicans now. Another Republican strategist emphasized the importance of these funds, especially at a time when Republicans are being outspent in elections.
Walker, who has recently returned to the University of Georgia for his undergraduate degree, denied the allegations that the $4 million is still in his campaign account. However, some Republicans are calling for the funds to be either delivered to GOP committees, used to boost Trump, or refunded to donors.
While Walker did transfer some of the funds to the National Republican Senatorial Committee’s legal recount fund and nonprofit groups, such as the Boys and Girls Club and the Horatio Alger Association, there is still a significant amount of money remaining in his campaign account.
Some of Walker’s top donors for the runoff election included the Senate Conservatives Fund, the Club for Growth, and the Republican Jewish Coalition. Despite the growing pressure from fellow Republicans, Walker has not made any commitments regarding the use of the remaining campaign funds.
The conservative Georgia Republicans, including GOP strategist Brian Robinson, are urging Walker to consider using the funds to support Republican candidates at the state legislature level, emphasizing the importance of maintaining Republican majorities in Georgia.
Overall, Walker’s decision not to spend the remaining campaign funds has sparked controversy among Georgia Republicans, who believe that the money could be instrumental in supporting their party’s efforts in the upcoming elections.
