Candidate acknowledges 2 more kids

ATLANTA — Herschel Walker, the Republican nominee for Senate in Georgia, who has been a frequent critic of absentee fathers, especially in Black households, has acknowledged that he is the father of a second son he had not previously mentioned publicly, as well as an adult daughter who was born when he was in his early 20s.

The revelation, reported Thursday by The Daily Beast, is the second this week about children Walker has fathered but did not publicly disclose. The outlet reported on Tuesday about a 10-year-old son of Walker’s with whom he is not in contact.

The Daily Beast withheld the names of the children and their mothers out of privacy concerns.

“I have four children,” Walker said in a statement to reporters. “Three sons and a daughter. They’re not ‘undisclosed’ — they’re my kids. I support them all and love them all. I’ve never denied my children.”

The Daily Beast’s report Tuesday about Walker’s 10-year-old son said that the child’s mother had sued Walker a year after giving birth to obtain a declaration of paternity and child support, and that the suit lasted until August 2014, when Walker was ordered to pay child support. The boy, by then more than 2 years old, took Walker’s last name.

Walker is running against Sen. Raphael Warnock, a Democrat, in what is widely expected to be one of this year’s most competitive and expensive Senate races.

Warnock is currently involved in child custody litigation with his ex-wife, who has sued to adjust the terms of their agreement and have his child support payments “recalculated.” Warnock’s campaign declined to comment for this article.