Herschel Walker: What is the abortion controversy surrounding the conservative Senate candidate?

Walker has previously equated abortion with murder and is running a tight race against Democrat Raphael Warnock for the state Senate seat, in the midterm elections to be held on November 8.

Who is Herschel Walker?

Born in Augusta, Georgia, Herschel Walker (60) studied at the University of Georgia. A successful athlete since high school, Walker played American football for his university and in 1982, won the coveted Heisman Trophy, an annual award given to the most outstanding player in college football. He had a long career in the National Football League (NFL) and has maintained immense star power in his state, becoming “a demigod in Georgia sports and in Georgia culture,” according to The New York Times podcast, The Daily.

In August 2021, Walker announced that he would run for the Georgian Senate and was backed by former President Donald Trump, with whom Walker enjoys a longtime personal relationship, CNN reported. In May of this year, the political newcomer won the Republican nomination for the state’s Senate.

Hardline stance on abortion

After the US Supreme Court in June repealed ‘Roe v. Wade,’ the landmark 1973 judgment that made abortion a nation-wide constitutional right, abortion rights have become a crucial campaign issue across the US.

Walker, who is running on an anti-abortion platform has previously likened the procedure to “a woman killing her baby” and has stated his wholesale opposition to abortion, including in instances of rape, incest and to protect the life of the mother.

In September, he also expressed his support for a 15-week national abortion ban, proposed by Republican Senator Lindsey Graham, which even other party member had distanced themselves from, The Daily Beast reported.

At various moments during his campaign, Walker has also indicated his support for total national ban on abortion. However, during a recent debate with his opponent, Democratic Senator Raphael Warnock, he reversed his position and denied his previously stated position, Associated Press reported.

The first allegation levelled against Herschel Walker

On October 3, The Daily Beast was told by Walker’s ex-girlfriend that after she and Walker had conceived a child in 2009, he had encouraged her to get an abortion, stating that it was “not the right time” for him to have a child.

After she had the procedure, Walker gave her a “get well card” and signed a $700 personal check, accessed by the news website. While Walker admitted giving the check to a former girlfriend, he denied claims that it had been used to pay for an abortion.

She also claimed that Walker had urged her to another abortion when she became was pregnant for a second time, but she instead chose to give birth to their son, who is now 10, The Washington Post reported.

The second abortion charge against Herschel Walker

On October 26, Walker was hit by new allegations from another woman, who said that he had pressured into having an abortion in 1993 and had paid for it.

The woman, identified by her lawyer as “Jane Doe,” told reporters via Zoom call that she had the procedure after she became pregnant during her six-year relationship with Walker, while he was still married to his first wife.

She alleged that Walker had given her money for the abortion, but after she had reached the clinic, she felt overwhelmed and decided she could not carry out the procedure. Walker became upset, she claimed, and took her back to the clinic the following day and waited for her until the abortion was completed. He then took her to the pharmacy to get medicine and dropped her home, The Washington Post reported.

She said she was speaking out about the incident because while Walker publicly opposed abortion, he had in reality pressured into having one, and that she does not believe that “Herschel is morally fit to be a US Senator.”

Walker has dismissed both allegations against him.

Other controversies

This is not the first time that Walker has been under public scrutiny. He has earlier paddled the false claim that election fraud had occurred in the 2020 US election, leading to President Joe Biden’s victory, and erroneously suggested that the January 6 riots at the US Capitol were orchestrated by people who wanted to stop discussion about election fraud, CNN earlier reported.

Walker’s first wife, Cindy Grossman, who filed for divorce in 2001 on grounds of physical abuse and threatening behaviour, later said in an interview that on one occasion, Walker had put a gun to her head and threatened to kill her. In a 2008 book, Walker wrote about being diagnosed with dissociative identity disorder, formerly known as multiple personality disorder, CNN had earlier reported.

Walker has previously stated that fatherless households were a significant problem plaguing the African-American community. After The Daily Beast broke a story in June of Walker having a secret-son out of wedlock, Walker admitted to having three children he had not spoken about publicly, including the son of the woman who had first accused him of asking her to have an abortion, the Associated Press reported.

While the Senate race in Georgia remains tight, a Monmouth University poll of voters in the state published on October 26, shows Democrat Raphael Warnock with a slight lead — with a net positive rating of 51 percent favourable to 43 percent unfavourable, while Walker has a net negative rating of 43 percent positive to 52 percent unfavourable.