The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Big names in the Republican Party suit up to take sides in Georgia’s U.S. Senate race
Herschel Walker got the Heisman Trophy of Republican endorsements this past week, but one of his GOP opponents in the state’s U.S. Senate race rolled out a team of high-profile supporters within the party at a rally in northeast Georgia.
Hundreds turned out at Gary Black’s farm in Commerce to hear former U.S. Rep. Doug Collins, U.S. Rep. Andrew Clyde and Public Service Commissioner Bubba McDonald pledge their support for the state’s agriculture commissioner in his campaign to unseat Democratic U.S. Sen. Raphael Warnock.
Collins opened the event, saying: “We need people who have the integrity Gary Black has. I don’t care who else is running — I’m supporting Gary Black.”
The former congressman’s support for Black is significant because it marks a rare break for him from former President Donald Trump, who later in the week formally endorsed Walker’s candidacy after encouraging the former University of Georgia football star to run.
Trump’s support is why Walker is considered the front-runner on the GOP side and why some polls have shown him running neck-and-neck with Warnock.
It’s also why other big names have shown an interest in Walker’s campaign, including Ralph Reed of the Faith and Freedom Coalition, who turned out at a fundraiser for the former running back.
Because Walker had been expected to enter the race, most of Georgia’s top Republicans chose to wait on the sidelines until he made that official
Former Gov. Nathan Deal was one of the few to take sides beforehand, backing Black. But when he spoke at Black’s gathering, Deal offered a message for all Georgia Republicans, telling them they will have to work hard to beat Warnock.
“Can any of you logically explain to me, or anybody else, why the state of Georgia, which in my opinion is still a red state, has two Democrats in the U.S. Senate?” Deal said. “One of the reasons is we got outworked. We took things for granted. This is the wake-up time.”