The One Thing That Can Save Herschel Walker
In an era of “political calcification,” ugly tabloid scandals like Walker’s matter less to election outcomes than ever more deeply entrenched polarization.
Political calcification at work.
Photographer: Megan Varner/Getty Images North AmericaBy ordinary measures, Herschel Walker just experienced the worst week of any politician this cycle — maybe this decade. The Republican Senate candidate and Georgia football legend is running as a staunch pro-life conservative opposed to abortion even in cases of rape or incest. Last week, however, an ex-girlfriend said he’d paid her to have an abortion and later pressured her to have another, dumping her after she refused. Walker’s son publicly denounced him for “destroying other people’s lives.” The news follows earlier revelations that Walker has fathered multiple children out of wedlock. On Friday, he fired his campaign’s political director — never a good sign 30 days before an election, especially since control of the Senate may depend on the race’s outcome. In response to the maelstrom of Walker scandals, a Georgia Republican strategist texted a Bloomberg News reporter an image of a sinking ship.
There’s no doubting that the S.S. Walker hit an iceberg. It’s hit four or five just since Labor Day! There’s also no doubt that in an earlier era, this sort of rank hypocrisy would force a candidate’s swift withdrawal from the race or doom him to a lopsided defeat if he decided to stick around, as Walker has.