Herschel Walker Running For U.S. Senate In Georgia

Herschel Walker spent his younger years running successfully, so now he is going to try it again.

That's right, the former NFL running back great is now taking his best shot at the U.S. Senate, as some suspected he might. Walker, 59, launched his campaign Tuesday, and will line up against Democrat U.S. Sen. Raphael Warnock on the 2022 ballot in his home state of Georgia.

"Walker didn’t immediately comment, though he filed paperwork Tuesday with the Federal Election Commission establishing his candidacy and recently registered to vote in Georgia. A formal announcement is expected within days," wrote Greg Bluestein of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

Walker received a major endorsement from former President Donald Trump, who claimed that Walker would be "unstoppable" as a Republican senate candidate.

But despite his celebrity status and massive success on the football field, Walker clearly has his work cut out for him, with three other contenders in the mix.

"Agriculture Commissioner Gary Black is the best known of the trio. The three-term incumbent has picked up key endorsements and painted Walker as a carpetbagger who should have long ago moved to the state to 'learn what Georgians have on their minds,'" Bluestein wrote.

"The other two contenders are Kelvin King, a military veteran who was one of Trump’s top Black surrogates; and Latham Saddler, a former Navy SEAL and Trump administration official who has surprised Republicans with his early fundraising success and organizational apparatus."

Many consider Walker to be the greatest college football player ever from his time as a running back at Georgia. He won the Heisman Trophy in 1980 before moving onto the professional ranks and the USFL's New Jersey Generals, owned by Trump.

A native of Augusta, Ga., Walker's best NFL seasons came with the Dallas Cowboys (1986-89) and Minnesota Vikings (1989-91). He later spent time with the Philadelphia Eagles (1992-94) and New York Giants (1995), before retiring with the Cowboys in 1997.

He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1999, and his number 34 has been retired at Georgia.

Written by
Sam Amico spent 15 years covering the NBA for Sports Illustrated, FOX Sports and NBA.com, along with a few other spots, and currently runs his own basketball website on the side, FortyEightMinutes.com.