There is little demand for Herschel Walker’s return to politics following his unsuccessful Georgia Senate bid almost two years ago. However, there is considerable interest in his campaign funds.
Both Georgia and national Republicans are upset that Walker is holding onto over $4 million in unused campaign money and shows no signs of using it to support the GOP or Donald Trump in the upcoming November election in the crucial battleground state.
With the Georgia Republican Party facing financial difficulties and the Republican National Committee consistently being outspent by its Democratic counterpart, Republicans believe that Walker’s unspent millions could greatly help alleviate the GOP’s financial struggles.
“The funds were raised to support his candidacy as a Georgia Republican, and unless he plans to use them for another campaign, it is hoped that the favor would be reciprocated,” said former Georgia state GOP chair John Watson. “Those dollars should be supporting Georgia Republicans in any legal manner possible.”
Following his defeat to Democratic Rev. Raphael Warnock in the high-profile race, Walker has largely disappeared from the political scene. Despite having a smooth path through the primary, his campaign was marred by personal scandals, including revelations of undisclosed children and abortions that contradicted his conservative values platform. Walker consistently lagged behind Warnock in fundraising, and his campaign strategy was hindered by his interference.
After the election, Walker returned to the University of Georgia to complete his undergraduate degree, the same institution where he earned a Heisman Trophy years ago.
When contacted by phone, Walker denied having a seven-figure balance of unspent campaign funds in his account.
“There wasn’t any money left in my account. Everyone keeps saying that,” Walker stated.
When asked to clarify, Walker abruptly ended the call, claiming to be in the middle of writing a paper. He mentioned the possibility of discussing it later but did not respond to subsequent inquiries, including the most recent one last week.
A Georgia GOP strategist familiar with Walker’s campaign suggested that the unused funds should be returned to donors, shared with Republican committees, or used to support Trump in the 2024 election.
“Republicans are being outspent across the board, and there’s a substantial amount of resources just sitting there,” said the strategist, who requested anonymity. “It could be used to support Trump, who did a lot for Herschel’s campaign.”
Walker, a former NFL player who ran for the 2022 Georgia Senate seat with Trump’s backing, concluded his unsuccessful campaign with over $5 million in the bank. As of the end of March, he still had $4.3 million in his account, according to the latest FEC filings.
Walker did allocate $100,000 to the National Republican Senate Committee’s legal recount fund and donated around $400,000 to various non-profit organizations. However, the majority of his leftover campaign funds remain untouched.
FEC regulations dictate that campaign funds must be used for electoral purposes, transferred to an active committee, or donated to charity. Walker and his treasurer are responsible for managing the funds, and direct transfers to Walker are prohibited.
Despite this restriction, the campaign funds could significantly benefit the GOP’s financial situation.
At this stage in the 2020 election cycle, the Georgia Republican Party had $1.2 million in cash reserves. Currently, the party reports having less than half of that amount. Additionally, a substantial portion of their funds, $1.9 million since the beginning of 2021, is being spent on legal expenses related to Republicans implicated in Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis’ election racketeering case, according to the latest financial disclosures.
Georgia GOP Chair Josh McKoon, responsible for fundraising for the state party, declined to comment on any private discussions he may have had with Walker regarding the unused campaign funds.
This year, state Republicans are concentrating on the presidential race and maintaining their legislative majorities. Georgia GOP strategist Brian Robinson suggested that Walker’s funds would be best utilized to support legislative candidates in competitive districts.
A senior official from the national Republican Party disclosed that they have not been in contact with Walker for several months and have no knowledge of any party committees or campaigns seeking funds from Walker’s old campaign account.
Despite not primarily contributing to the party, Walker has been donating some of his campaign funds. The campaign committee disbursed approximately $410,000, mostly to non-profit organizations such as the Horatio Alger Association, the Boys and Girls Club, and Herschel’s 34 and Johnson City Class of 1980, a non-profit registered in Walker’s hometown of Wrightsville, Georgia since 2016, according to FEC records.
He also contributed $100,000 to Polaris Action Inc, a national security-focused organization founded by Morgan Ortagus, a former Trump administration State Department official who campaigned for Walker.
“It wouldn’t be surprising if he decides to donate the money to newly established charities in or around Dallas, Texas,” remarked a second Georgia GOP operative, alluding to Walker’s previous residence before his Senate run in Georgia.
Daniel Lippman contributed to this report.
