Source: The Washington Post / Getty
An attempt by Newt Gingrich to endorse Republican Senate candidate Herschel Walker over Sen. Raphael Warnock wound up being deeply offensive.
As the runoff election to decide who will occupy the Senate seat from Georgia approaches, many on the right wing are lending support to the GOP’s candidate Walker. Former House Speaker Gingrich, who also represented Georgia, went on conservative personality Charlie Kirk’s show to endorse Walker over the incumbent Democratic Senator Warnock with an eye-raising opinion.
Gingrich expressed that despite both candidates being Black, he felt Walker stood out more because of his business acumen and struggles with mental health. “I think that Herschel Walker has the courage, the integrity to be a really remarkable U.S. senator,” Gingrich told Kirk. “And I think, having an African-American with his background — somebody who is good at business, somebody who has given over 400 speeches on military bases to help young people dealing with PTSD because of his own experience with having had concussions playing football.” He continued: “I think Herschel would be such a dramatic improvement over Sen. Warnock, who is a hardline, um, left-wing politician that I really do think that it’s worth a lot of effort to make sure Herschel wins.”
The comments aren’t anything new for Gingrich, who has a history of evoking racial stereotypes in his political career. The conservative politician has previously displayed some curious decisions in defending Walker by using his history of concussions as a football player. “I think he’s the most important Senate candidate in the country because he’ll do more to change the Senate just by the sheer presence, by his confidence, by his deep commitment to Christ, by the degree to which he has – you know, he’s been through a long, tough period,” he said in an October interview with Fox News, “He had a lot of concussions coming out of football, he suffered PTSD.”
Many have their eyes on the runoff election in Georgia, which is set to take place on Dec. 6. While vote tallies from the midterm elections have Warnock slightly ahead of Walker, neither hit the required number to have a majority, prompting a runoff by state law. The Democratic Party currently controls the Senate and hopes to extend it with Warnock retaining his seat.
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