Herschel Walker

Template:Short description Template:Use American English Template:Use mdy dates Template:Infobox officeholder Herschel Junior Walker (born March 3, 1962) is an American diplomat and former professional football player who is the United States ambassador-designate to the Bahamas since 2025.<ref name="a454">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name=":3">Template:Cite web</ref> A member of the Republican Party, he ran unsuccessfully as the party's nominee in the 2022 U.S. Senate election in Georgia. During his football career, he played in the National Football League (NFL) for 12 seasons as a running back.

Walker played college football at the University of Georgia, where he won the Heisman Trophy as a junior.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> He spent the first three seasons of his professional career with the New Jersey Generals of the United States Football League (USFL) and was the league's MVP during its final season in 1985. After the USFL folded, Walker joined the NFL with the Dallas Cowboys, earning consecutive Pro Bowl and second-team All-Pro honors from 1987 to 1988. In 1989, Walker was traded to the Minnesota Vikings, which is regarded as one of the most lopsided trades in NFL history and credited with establishing the Cowboys' dynasty of the 1990s. He was later a member of the Philadelphia Eagles and New York Giants before retiring with the Cowboys. Walker was inducted to the College Football Hall of Fame in 1999.

Outside of football, Walker was a member of the United States' bobsleigh team at the 1992 Winter Olympics and pursued business ventures in food processing. From 2019 to 2020, he served as a co-chair on the President's Council on Sports, Fitness, and Nutrition under Trump. Walker launched his first political campaign in Georgia's 2022 Senate election, narrowly losing to Democratic incumbent Raphael Warnock by 2.8%.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> In December 2024, Trump announced his nomination of Walker to serve as the United States Ambassador to the Bahamas; he was subsequently confirmed by the Senate in a 51–47 vote.<ref name=":4">Template:Cite news</ref><ref name=":7">Template:Cite news</ref>

Early life and education

Walker was born in Augusta, Georgia, to Willis and Christine Walker. He was raised in Wrightsville, Georgia.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> He was one of seven children. Walker said that as a child, he was overweight and had a stutter.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref name=":5">Template:Cite web</ref>

Walker attended Johnson County High School in Wrightsville, where he played football, basketball, and competed in track. He played for the Johnson County Trojans high school football team from 1976 to 1979. In his senior year, he rushed for 3,167 yards, helping the Trojans win their first state championship.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> He was awarded the inaugural Dial Award as 1979 national high school scholar-athlete of the year.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Walker also competed on the Trojans track and field team in events ranging from the 100-yard dash to the shot put.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> He won the shot put, 100-yard dash, and 220-yard dash events at the Georgia High School Association T&F State Championships. He also anchored the 4×400 team to victory. Template:Citation needed

In his 2008 autobiography, Walker wrote that he was the Beta Club president and class valedictorian at Johnson County High School.<ref name=":6">Template:Cite web</ref> In December 2021, Walker's Senate campaign website claimed he graduated as the valedictorian of the entire high school, but CNN found no evidence for this claim.<ref name=":6"/> The claim on Walker's website was later removed and amended to state that Walker graduated high school "top of his class".<ref name=":6"/>

Starting in 2017, Walker has made the false claim that he had graduated from University of Georgia "in the top 1% of his class".<ref name=":6" /> In fact, he did not graduate, and left college to join the USFL.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> He had yet to return to complete his degree.<ref name=":1">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name=":6" /> In December 2021, Walker's Senate campaign website deleted the assertions about his education after The Atlanta Journal-Constitution inquired about it, with Walker acknowledging in a statement that he left the university prior to graduation to play professional football.<ref name="ajcgrad">Template:Cite news</ref> Walker later falsely asserted he never said he graduated from the university.<ref name=":1" /> 42 years after his initial enrollment, he returned to the institution and graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Family and Consumer Sciences degree in Housing Management and Policy on December 16, 2024.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="f189">Template:Cite web</ref>

Walker played running back and ran on the track and field team for the University of Georgia, where he was a three-time unanimous All-American (football and track), and winner of the 1982 Heisman Trophy and Maxwell Award.<ref name="cfbhall">Template:Cite web</ref> He is the first NCAA player who played only three years to finish in the top 10 in rushing yards, a mark later tied by Jonathan Taylor.Template:Citation needed During his freshman season in 1980, Walker set the NCAA freshman rushing record which was later broken by Taylor. Walker finished third in Heisman voting. Walker was the first "true freshman" to become a first-team All-American.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> As a freshman, he played a major role in helping Georgia go undefeated and win the de facto national championship with a victory over Notre Dame in the Sugar Bowl. In 1999, Walker was elected to the College Football Hall of Fame.<ref name="cfbhall" />

College statistics

Season	Team	Rushing					Receiving
		Att	Yds	Avg	Lng	TD	Rec	Yds	TD
1980	Georgia	274	1,616	5.9	76	15	7	70	1
1981	Georgia	385	1,891	4.9	32	18	14	84	2
1982	Georgia	335	1,752	5.2	59	16	5	89	1
Career		994	5,259	5.3	76	49	26	243	4

Professional career

United States Football League

Walker signed with the New Jersey Generals in 1983, owned by Oklahoma oil tycoon J. Walter Duncan, who after the 1983 season sold the team to Donald Trump.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Walker attracted only one major promotional offer, a joint project of McDonald's and Adidas.Template:Citation needed

National Football League

Dallas Cowboys (first stint)

The Dallas Cowboys, aware of Walker's earlier interest in playing for them, acquired Walker's NFL rights by selecting him in the fifth round (114th overall) of the 1985 NFL draft.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

In 1986, he was signed by the Cowboys and moved to fullback, so he could share backfield duties with Tony Dorsett, becoming the second Heisman backfield tandem in NFL history, after George Rogers and Earl Campbell teamed with the 1984 New Orleans Saints. This move created tension, as it would limit Dorsett's playing time, and because Walker's $5 million five-year contract exceeded his $4.5 million five-year contract.Template:Citation needed Walker rushed for the game-winning touchdown with a minute to play in the 31–28 victory against the New York Giants in the season opener. In the week 15 game against the Philadelphia Eagles, he had a franchise-record 292 yards of total offense, including the NFL's longest run of the year with an 84-yarder for a touchdown and an 84-yard touchdown reception.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

In 1987, Walker complained to Cowboys management about being moved around between three different positions (running back, fullback, wide receiver) and that Dorsett had more carries. He would be the team's main running back, playing in 12 games (11 starts), while registering 891 rushing yards, 715 receiving yards, and 8 touchdowns. Dorsett played in 12 games (6 starts) and had two healthy DNP (Did Not Play), which would make him demand a trade that would send him to the Denver Broncos.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Walker established himself as an NFL running back in 1988, becoming a one-man offense, reaching his NFL career highs of 1,514 rushing yards and 505 receiving yards, while playing seven positions: halfback, fullback, tight end, H-back, wide receiver, both in the slot and as a flanker.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> He became the 10th player in NFL history to amass more than 2,000 combined rushing and receiving yards in a season. In the process he achieved two consecutive Pro Bowls (1987 and 1988).<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

In 1989, the Cowboys traded Walker to the Minnesota Vikings for a total of five players (linebacker Jesse Solomon, defensive back Issiac Holt, running back Darrin Nelson, linebacker David Howard, defensive end Alex Stewart) and six future draft picks. The five players were tied to potential draft picks Minnesota would give Dallas if a player was cut (which led to Emmitt Smith, Russell Maryland, Kevin Smith, and Darren Woodson).

Minnesota Vikings

Template:See also Walker's trade to Minnesota was initially considered by many as supplying the Vikings with the "missing piece" for a Super Bowl run; however, over time, as the Cowboys' fortunes soared and the Vikings' waned, it became viewed as, perhaps, the most lopsided trade in NFL history.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> From the moment he arrived in Minneapolis, "Herschel Mania" erupted. After a 2½ hour practice where he studied 12 offensive plays, Walker debuted against the Green Bay Packers.

He received three standing ovations from the record Metrodome crowd of 62,075, producing a Vikings win after four successive losses and 14 of the prior 18 games with the Packers. Scout.com says, "Walker was never used properly by the coaching brain trust."<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> However, the Vikings would not make the playoffs, let alone the Super Bowl, in Walker's two full seasons there.

"Herschel the Turkey", a mock honor given out by the Star Tribune newspaper to inept Minnesota sports personalities, is named for him.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Philadelphia Eagles

After three seasons in Minnesota, the Philadelphia Eagles signed Walker in 1992 hoping he would help them reach the Super Bowl.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> That year, he rushed 267 times for 1,070 rushing yards and eight rushing touchdowns to go along with 38 receptions for 278 receiving yards and two receiving touchdowns as the Eagles advanced to the Divisional Round before being eliminated.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

In the 1993 season, Walker rushed 174 times for 746 rushing yards and one rushing touchdown. He was a significant part of the receiving game for the 8–8 Eagles with 75 receptions for 610 receiving yards and three receiving touchdowns.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

In 1994 he became the first NFL player to have one-play gains of 90 or more yards rushing, receiving and kick-returning in a single season. He spent three seasons in Philadelphia, leaving after the Eagles signed free agent Ricky Watters.

New York Giants

The New York Giants signed Walker in 1995 to a three-year contract worth $4.8 million<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> as a third-down back. Walker led the Giants with 45 kick returns at 21.5 yards per return in 1995, his only season with the team.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Dallas Cowboys (second stint)

In 1996, he rejoined the Dallas Cowboys as a kickoff return specialist and third-down back. He also played fullback, but primarily as a ball-handler instead of a blocker out of I-Form and pro-sets. Walker retired at the end of the 1997 season.

Professional statistics

USFL

USFL career stats
New Jersey Generals
Year	Rushing					Receiving					Kick returns					2Pt
	Att	Yds	Avg	Lng	TD	Rec	Yds	Avg	Lng	TD	Ret	Yds	Avg	Lng	TD
1983	412	1,812	4.4	80	17	53	489	9.2	65	1	3	69	23.0	27	0	1
1984	293	1,339	4.6	69	16	40	528	13.2	50	5	0	0	0.0	0	0	1
1985	438	2,411	5.5	88	21	37	467	12.6	68	1	0	0	0.0	0	0	0
Career	1,143	5,562	4.9	88	54	130	1,484	11.4	68	7	3	69	23.0	27	0	2

NFL

NFL career stats
Year	Team	GP	Rushing					Receiving					Kick returns
			Att	Yds	Avg	Lng	TD	Rec	Yds	Avg	Lng	TD	Ret	Yds	Avg	Lng	TD
1986	DAL	16	151	737	4.9	84	12	76	837	11.0	84	2	0	0	0.0	0	0
1987	DAL	12	209	891	4.3	60	7	60	715	11.9	44	1	0	0	0.0	0	0
1988	DAL	16	361	1,514	4.2	38	5	53	505	9.5	50	2	0	0	0.0	0	0
1989	DAL	5	81	246	3.0	20	2	22	261	11.9	52	1	0	0	0.0	0	0
	MIN	11	169	669	4.0	47	5	18	162	9.0	24	2	13	374	28.8	93	1
1990	MIN	16	184	770	4.2	58	5	35	315	9.0	52	4	44	966	22.0	64	0
1991	MIN	15	198	825	4.2	71	10	33	204	6.1	32	0	5	83	16.6	21	0
1992	PHI	16	267	1,070	4.0	38	8	38	278	7.3	19	2	3	69	23.0	34	0
1993	PHI	16	174	746	4.3	35	1	75	610	8.1	41	3	11	184	16.7	30	0
1994	PHI	16	113	528	4.7	91	5	50	500	10.0	93	2	21	581	27.7	94	1
1995	NYG	16	31	126	4.1	36	0	31	234	7.5	55	1	41	881	21.5	67	0
1996	DAL	16	10	83	8.3	39	1	7	89	12.7	34	0	27	779	28.9	67	0
1997	DAL	16	6	20	3.3	11	0	14	149	10.6	64	2	50	1,167	23.3	49	0
Career		187	1,954	8,225	4.2	91	61	512	4,859	9.5	93	21	215	5,084	23.6	94	2

Other athletic and competitive activities

In 1992, Walker competed in the Winter Olympics in Albertville, France as a member of the United States' bobsleigh team. Originally selected for the four-man team, he eventually competed as the brakeman (or pusher) in the two-man competition.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Walker and his teammate Brian Shimer placed seventh.

In November 2007, Walker appeared on the HDNet show Inside MMA as a guest. He indicated he would take part in a mixed martial arts reality show in the near future (along with José Canseco) and that he would have an official MMA fight at the conclusion of the show.<ref>Template:Cite episode</ref> In September 2009, it was announced that Walker had been signed by MMA promotion company Strikeforce to compete in their heavyweight division at the age of 47.<ref name="Herschel-Strikeforce">Template:Cite news</ref>

He began a 12-week training camp with trainer "Crazy" Bob Cook at the American Kickboxing Academy in October 2009 in San Jose, California.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> In his MMA debut on January 30, 2010, Walker defeated Greg Nagy via technical knock-out due to strikes at Strikeforce: Miami.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

In 2009, Walker was a contestant in the second season of the reality television show The Celebrity Apprentice.

Strikeforce confirmed that Walker would face former WEC fighter Scott Carson when he made his second appearance in the Strikeforce cage.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Walker was forced off the Strikeforce card on December 4 due to a cut suffered in training that required seven stitches. They fought instead on January 29, 2011, and Walker defeated Carson via TKO (strikes) at 3:13 of round 1.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

In 2014, Walker won season 3 of Rachael vs. Guy: Celebrity Cook-Off.

Walker has a fifth-degree black belt in taekwondo.<ref name=":2">Template:Cite web</ref>

Mixed martial arts record

Template:Unsourced-section Template:MMArecordbox Template:MMA record start |- |Template:Yes2Win |align=center|2–0 | Scott Carson | TKO (strikes) | Strikeforce: Diaz vs. Cyborg |Template:Dts |align=center|1 |align=center|3:13 |San Jose, California United States | |- |Template:Yes2Win |align=center|1–0 | Greg Nagy | TKO (punches) | Strikeforce: Miami |Template:Dts |align=center|3 |align=center|2:17 | Sunrise, Florida, United States | Heavyweight debut. Template:End

Business activities

In 1984, Walker franchised a D'Lites fast food restaurant in Athens, Georgia.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

In 2002, Walker created Renaissance Man Food Services, which distributes chicken products.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Originally, his producer was Sysco Corp. following a casual conversation with a Sysco vice president who asked him to provide some chicken-breading recipes from his mother.<ref name=MeatProcessing>Template:Cite web</ref> He founded Savannah-based H. Walker Enterprises in 2002 as an umbrella company for most of his other business ventures, the largest of which was Renaissance Man Food Services.<ref name=ExaggeratedClaims>Template:Cite web</ref>

Walker has a history of exaggerating the number of people employed by and the assets of his companies; the failure of several business enterprises led to creditors bringing lawsuits.<ref name="ExaggeratedClaims" /><ref name="turbulent" /> Walker touted Renaissance Man Food Services as one of the largest minority-owned meat processors in the nation, with $70 million in annual sales.<ref name="ExaggeratedClaims" /><ref name="MeatProcessing" /> In subsequent deposition testimony in a lawsuit, however, Walker gave far lower figures, saying that his company averaged about $1.5 million in annual profits from 2008 and 2017.<ref name="turbulent">Template:Cite web</ref>

Walker has touted Renaissance Man Food Services as a "mini-Tyson Foods", and also said that the company controlled multiple chicken processing plants.<ref name="ExaggeratedClaims" /><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> However, in a 2018 declaration submitted in a legal case against his company, Walker acknowledged that the company did not actually own any chicken processing plants and instead partnered with plant owners to sell branded chicken products.<ref name="ExaggeratedClaims" /> Walker's business associates later testified that Walker licensed his name to the chicken-related enterprise.<ref name="turbulent" />

In 2009, Walker told the media that Renaissance Man Food Services had over 100 employees.<ref name="ExaggeratedClaims" /> In 2018, Walker told the media that Renaissance Man Food Services had "over 600 employees."<ref name="ExaggeratedClaims" /><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> In 2020, Renaissance Man Food Services informed the U.S. government that it had eight employees.<ref name="ExaggeratedClaims" /><ref name="turbulent" /> The Atlanta Journal-Constitution suggested that Walker's overestimate of employees could "refer to chicken processing jobs, which are not actually part of Walker's business".<ref name="ExaggeratedClaims" />

In April 2020, Renaissance Man Food Services applied for a Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan due to the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and the company ultimately received two PPP loans totaling $180,000 (of which $111,300 was forgiven).<ref name="ExaggeratedClaims" /> On Twitter in April 2020, Walker mocked "big companies" that received PPP money, suggesting that they were "giving back" the money due to being "ashamed".<ref name=Sotherly>Template:Cite web</ref> This was despite Walker being a board member of the Sotherly Hotel Group, owner of the Georgian Terrace Hotel and other hotels; the group received over $9 million of PPP loans in April 2020 while firing 90% of its hotel staff, according to company documents submitted to the U.S. government.<ref name=Sotherly/> According to government records, Walker was paid $247,227 in total from Sotherly from 2016 to 2021.<ref name=Sotherly/>

Walker said that "part of its corporate charter" was to donate 15% of profits to charities. However, none of the four charities that Walker named as beneficiaries confirmed they actually received any donations.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Political activities

File:Herschel Walker official photo.jpg

Walker's official portrait as a co-chair of the President's Council on Sports, Fitness and Nutrition

In 2014, Walker appeared in a commercial paid for by the United States Chamber of Commerce supporting Jack Kingston's bid in the Republican primary election for the 2014 U.S. Senate election in Georgia.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> In 2018, Walker endorsed Republican Brian Kemp in the 2018 Georgia gubernatorial election.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Walker supported Donald Trump in the 2016 and 2020 presidential elections,<ref name="Trump">Template:Bulleted list</ref> and spoke on Trump's behalf at the 2020 Republican National Convention.<ref name="hwcnn">Template:Cite news</ref> In 2018, President Trump appointed Walker to the President's Council on Sports, Fitness, and Nutrition.<ref>Cody Benjamin, President Trump appoints Bill Belichick, Herschel Walker to his new sports council Template:Webarchive, CBS Sports (May 4, 2018)</ref> Trump reappointed him to another two year-term in December 2020.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> He was removed from the position in March 2022 by President Biden after he was asked to resign.<ref name="cnn-23mar2022">Template:Cite news</ref> In 2020, Walker endorsed U.S. Senator Kelly Loeffler.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

2022 U.S. Senate election in Georgia

In 2021, then-former President Donald Trump encouraged Walker to run for the U.S. Senate in Georgia.<ref name=":0" /> Walker, a Texas resident, needed to re-establish residency in Georgia to do so.<ref name=Blocking/> Walker's contemplation of entering the race "froze" the Republican field because other prospective candidates for the nomination waited for his decision.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref name=":0"/> In July 2021, Fox News reported that some Georgia Republicans were not sure how effective a candidate Walker would be, citing the fact that his positions on issues of importance to Republican voters were unknown.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

In August 2021, Walker announced his run for the Senate seat held by Democrat Raphael Warnock.<ref name=Blocking>Patricia Murphy, Greg Bluestein & Tia Mitchell, The Jolt: Herschel Walker rumors blocking top Republicans in Senate race Template:Webarchive, Atlanta Journal-Constitution (April 23, 2021)</ref> Walker began his campaign with high favorability ratings and support from self-identified moderate Republicans, and, in October 2021, was endorsed by Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, in a sign that the Republican establishment was lining up behind him.<ref name=MMC>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

In June 2022, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution found Walker's claims about working in law enforcement were either false or unverifiable.<ref name="Honorary deputy"/> Walker has been named as an honorary deputy sheriff in Cobb County and Johnson County.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In 2019, Walker said he "spent time at Quantico at the FBI training school" and was "an agent" when, in reality, Walker lacked the bachelor's degree required for FBI training.<ref name="Honorary deputy">Template:Cite news</ref> Previously, in 1989, Walker told the media that he "had fun" while attending an FBI school in Quantico for a week, speaking of an "obstacle course and you shoot at targets".<ref name="Honorary deputy"/>

Many of Walker's statements on the campaign trail have been described as "gaffes"<ref name =GPB/> or "head-scratching at best".<ref name = People>Template:Cite news</ref> In an editorial for CNN, Chris Cillizza described Walker as a "walking gaffe machine", and disputed several statements Walker had made.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

On October 5, 2022, Walker's campaign fired Taylor Crowe, his campaign political director, over suspicions that he leaked information to the media.<ref name="fired director">Template:Cite news</ref>

On October 14, 2022, Walker and his Democratic challenger, Raphael Warnock, faced off in their only debate for the Senate election.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The New York Times described Walker's demeanor throughout the debate as "aggressive and persistent," with his frequent interruptions of Warnock and mocking of him for dodging questions.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Walker repeatedly tried to link Warnock with President Joe Biden, who carried a low approval rating.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> During a portion of the debate focusing on crime, Walker revealed what appeared to be a law enforcement badgeTemplate:Efn to illustrate his closeness to law enforcement; he was admonished by the moderators since props were not allowed during the debate.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The Hill wrote Walker won a "moral victory by avoiding disaster" and "more than avoided embarrassment."<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Since no candidate received a majority of the vote in the general election on November 8, 2022, he faced incumbent Democrat Raphael Warnock in a runoff election on December 6, 2022, and narrowly lost. The final tally of votes was 51.40% for Warnock and 48.60% for Walker.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Walker conceded the election that night, stating: "I'm not going to make any excuses now because we put up one heck of a fight. [...] I want you to continue to believe in this country, believe in our elected officials, and most of all, stay together".<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

U.S. ambassador to the Bahamas (2025–present)

On December 17, 2024, Walker was named by President-elect Donald Trump as his presumptive nominee for the position of U.S. Ambassador to the Bahamas.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> On March 25, 2025, his nomination was referred to the U.S. Senate Committee on Foreign Relations. In June 2025, Walker disclosed his financial assets, while also pledging to resign from leadership positions at his businesses and divest individual stock holdings if confirmed.<ref name="Sportico">Template:Cite news</ref> He appeared before the United States Senate Committee on Foreign Relations in September 2025, answering questions about drug trafficking and Chinese influence in the Caribbean.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

On October 7, 2025, Walkers nomination was confirmed by the Senate in a 51–47 vote. He was the first confirmed ambassador to the position since 2011.<ref name=":3" /><ref name=":4" /><ref name=":7" />

Political positions

2020 presidential election

After Joe Biden won the 2020 presidential election, Walker tweeted a video supporting Trump's efforts to overturn the election results.<ref name=":0">Template:Cite web</ref> Walker has spread many conspiracy theories about the 2020 presidential election.<ref name="Dale">Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Walker claimed that Biden "didn't get 50 million" votes; Biden indeed received over 80 million votes.<ref name="Dale"/> Walker alleged that there was "country-wide election fraud" and urged Trump and "true patriots" to carry out "a total cleansing" to "prosecute all the bad actors".<ref name="Dale"/> He urged re-votes in the states of Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin.<ref name="Dale"/> Walker also spread a conspiracy theory about the 2021 United States Capitol attack, suggesting it was a "well-planned" distraction from election fraud.

In July 2022, when asked whether Joe Biden had fairly defeated Donald Trump in Georgia, Walker replied, "I have no clue."<ref name = ABH/> In the October debate with Warnock, when asked if Joe Biden was the winner of the 2020 election, Walker stated, "President Biden won and Raphael Warnock won."<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Abortion

In May 2022, Walker stated he opposes abortion, and wants no exceptions to abortion bans. He also called for more money to promote adoption and to support single parents. "You never know what a child is going to become. And I've seen some people, they've had some tough times, but I always said, 'No matter what, tough times make tough people.Template:'"<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> When asked about the impact of the issue on the November 2022 election, Walker described abortion rights as among the "things that people are not concerned about".<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> In September 2022, Walker endorsed legislation proposed by Senator Lindsey Graham that would ban abortion after 15 weeks of pregnancy nationwide, except in cases of rape, incest, and threat to the life of the patient.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> During his October debate with Raphael Warnock, Walker softened his position on abortion,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> saying he supported the Georgia law allowing exceptions for rape and threats to the mother's life and health.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

On October 3, 2022, The Daily Beast published allegations from a woman who said that Walker impregnated her and paid for her abortion in 2009 when they were dating.<ref name=paid>Template:Cite news</ref> The woman supported the allegation by producing images of a personal check from Walker, a get-well card with Walker's purported signature, and a $575 receipt for an abortion.<ref name=paid/><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The Daily Beast said that it corroborated the story with a friend of the woman, who "took care of her in the days after the procedure".<ref name="lashes">Template:Cite news</ref> Walker stated, "I never asked anyone to get an abortion. I never paid for an abortion." When asked about the check, Walker said, "I give money to people all the time, because I'm always helping people".<ref name="lashes"/> Walker said he would sue The Daily Beast for defamation.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref name=sues>Template:Cite news</ref> After Walker said on October 5 that he did not know the identity of the woman accusing him, The Daily Beast reported that the woman is the mother of one of Walker's children; she told The Daily Beast that she had another child with Walker years after the abortion, despite Walker stating that it was not a convenient time for him to have a child, a sentiment he also raised prior to the abortion.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Within a week of the original allegations' publication, The New York Times interviewed the same woman, as well as her friend, corroborating the reporting by The Daily Beast.<ref name=urged>Template:Cite news</ref> The woman additionally told The New York Times that she ended her relationship with Walker when he advised her to have a second abortion in 2011.<ref name=urged/> Family court records in New York confirm that Walker and the woman had a son, who was born in 2012.<ref name=urged/> On October 7, 2022, Walker acknowledged that his accuser was the mother of his son, and as to whether she had an abortion, Walker said: "I'm not saying she did or didn't have one [an abortion]. I'm saying I don't know anything about that." He acknowledged the possibility of having given his accuser a 'get well' card and a check for other reasons, but said he could not remember doing so.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

In an October 26, 2022, press conference organized by attorney Gloria Allred, a second woman, who has not identified herself, alleged she had been pressured by Walker to get an abortion in 1993 after a years-long extramarital relationship with him.<ref name="specific date">Template:Cite news</ref><ref name="ab2">Template:Cite web</ref> Walker denied the allegation, saying it was a "lie".<ref name="specific date" /> On November 22, Allred held another press conference, where the second woman also spoke, and audio recordings of Walker were shared.<ref name=renews>Template:Cite news</ref> The woman read out letters that she said Walker wrote, including one to her which stated: "I'm sorry I have put you through all this stuff."<ref name=renews/> Allred read out a signed declaration of a friend of the second woman, which stated that the second woman originally said that she had a miscarriage, but the friend suspected that it was an abortion because the friend knew that Walker was married at the time and did not want to have a child with the second woman; years later, the second woman told the friend that Walker actually sent her to a clinic for an abortion.<ref name=renews/>

Economy

Walker favors reducing federal regulations to boost business. He supports widespread tax cuts, building the Keystone Pipeline and increasing production of fossil fuels. He proposes to "lower healthcare costs by increasing competitive market options".<ref name=USAT>Template:Cite news</ref> Walker supports putting closed oil fields back into production and rolling back oil-field regulations in order to reduce inflation.<ref name=ABH>Template:Cite news</ref>

Environment and climate change

When asked about the Green New Deal environmental program, Walker said that he opposed it because "Since we don't control the air our good air decided to float over to China's bad air so when China gets our good air, their bad air got to move. So it moves over to our good air space. Then now we got we to clean that back up."<ref name=GPB>Template:Cite news</ref> In August 2022, in response to questions about the passage of the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022, which includes funding to counteract climate change, Walker said, "They continue to try to fool you that they are helping you out. But they're not". Possibly referring to a provision that allocated $1.5 billion to the U.S. Forest Service's Urban and Community Forestry Program, Walker added, "Because a lot of money, it's going to trees. Don't we have enough trees around here?"<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Walker told supporters at a November 2022 rally that America isn't "ready for the green agenda. ... What we need to do is keep having those gas-guzzling cars. We got the good emissions under those cars".<ref name=Grist_20221116>Template:Cite magazine</ref>

Guns

When asked in May 2022 on how to tackle gun violence, Walker said: "Cain killed Abel and that's a problem that we have. What we need to do is look into how we can stop those things."<ref name=literally>Template:Cite news</ref> Walker then suggested "getting a department that can look at young men that's looking at women, that's looking at their social media", and also by "putting money into the mental health field ... rather than departments that want to take away your rights."<ref name=literally/> When asked if he supported new gun laws in the wake of the Uvalde school shooting, Walker responded: "What I like to do is see it and everything and stuff."<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

LGBT rights

Walker opposes allowing trans women in women's sports competitions, stating in September 2022: "Let's get men out of women's sports".<ref name=recognize>Template:Cite news</ref> Walker also discussed transgender children in general, stating, "they're telling the young kids in school, you can be a boy tomorrow even if you're a girl... But I want the young kids to know you go to heaven. Jesus may not recognize you. Because he made you a boy. He made you a girl."<ref name=recognize/>

Asked about same-sex marriage, Walker said states should be free to decide the legality of same-sex marriage.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

National security

Walker supports a wall at the border with Mexico. He wants the United States to "heavily invest" in the military.<ref name=USAT/>

Personal life

Walker has lived in Westlake, Texas,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> and in the Las Colinas area of Irving, Texas.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> As of June 2025, Walker's net worth is between $32.1 million and $80.5 million according to his financial assets disclosure.<ref name="Sportico"/>

In August 2021, as he was preparing to run for U.S. Senate, Walker registered to vote in Georgia and listed his residence as Buckhead, Georgia; the property is owned by his wife Julie Blanchard.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> However, in a January 2022 political campaign event, Walker said: "I live in Texas … I was sitting in my home in Texas …"<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Tax records also show that Walker's primary residence for 2021 and 2022 is still registered as Tarrant County, Texas, where he continues to receive property tax breaks.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Relationships and children

Walker married Cindy DeAngelis Grossman, whom he met in college, in 1983. They have a son, Christian, a social media influencer<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> After 19 years of marriage, Walker and Grossman divorced in 2002.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Julie Blanchard in 2012 said that she was Walker's fiancée; Walker married Blanchard in 2021.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Walker has two additional sons and a daughter whom he did not publicly acknowledge before his 2022 US Senate campaign; he did so in June 2022, one day after The Daily Beast reported on one of his additional sons.<ref name="NYT20220616">Template:Cite news</ref> Walker said that month, during a conference, that he "never denied" having four children.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The Daily Beast later reported that Walker had lied to his 2022 Senate campaign about how many children he had, while The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported "allies to Walker" stating that Walker had not been honest about how many children he had.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Walker said that he did not publicly acknowledge his children to prevent exposing them to unwanted attention, and criticized the claim that "I hide my children because I don't discuss them with reporters to win a campaign". Earlier during his Senate campaigning, Walker repeatedly discussed his relationship with eldest son Christian.<ref name="NYT20220616" /><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Prior to publicly acknowledging his other children, in a 2020 interview, Walker said that fatherless households were a "major, major problem" in African-American communities.<ref name="NYT20220616" /> In October 2022, Walker's adult son Christian criticized Walker, stating, "my favorite issue to talk about is father absence. Surprise! Because it affected me. ... He has four kids, four different women. Wasn't in the house raising one of them. He was out having sex with other women."<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Also in October 2022, the mother of another of Walker's sons (born in 2012), said that Walker had seen his son "maybe ... three times", with Walker's parenting contributions mostly being court-ordered child support and sporadic gifts, while suggesting that the gifts were actually from Walker's fiancée/wife Julie Blanchard, and not from him.<ref name=urged/>

Domestic violence allegations

In September 2001, when Walker and Grossman were estranged, an Irving, Texas, police report stated that police were called to Grossman's home by Walker's therapist due to Walker's visit there; Walker was "volatile", had a weapon, and was scaring Grossman.<ref name="complicate">Template:Cite news</ref> The report stated that Walker "talked about having a shoot-out with police"; the therapist, Jerry Mungadze, defused the situation after speaking to Walker for at least half an hour. The report stated that police confiscated a SIG Sauer handgun from Walker's car, put his home on a "caution list" due to Walker's "violent tendencies", but did not arrest or charge Walker.<ref name="complicate" /> In a separate incident, Mungadze told the media that when he conducted a therapy session with Walker and Grossman, he called 911 because Walker "threatened to kill" all three of them, prompting the police to arrive; the result of the incident was Walker hitting a door, breaking his fist.<ref name="complicate" />

In filing for divorce in December 2001, Grossman accused him of "physically abusive and extremely threatening behavior." After the divorce, she told the media that, during their marriage, Walker pointed a pistol at her head and said: "I'm going to blow your f'ing brains out."<ref name=turbulent /><ref name="complicate"/> She also said he had used knives to threaten her.<ref name=Falco /> In 2005, a restraining order was imposed on Walker regarding Grossman, after Grossman's sister stated in an affidavit that Walker told her "unequivocally that he was going to shoot my sister Cindy and her [new] boyfriend in the head."<ref name=turbulent /> As a result, a temporary gun-owning ban was also issued to Walker by a judge.<ref name=turbulent /> Walker stated that he does not remember the assault or the threats and attributed his aberrant behavior with his wife and others to his dissociative identity disorder for which he was diagnosed in 2001.<ref name=Falco /><ref name=turbulent />

In January 2012, a woman, Myka Dean, made a report to Irving, Texas, police that when she attempted to end a 20-year "on-off" relationship with Walker, he "lost it" and threatened to wait at her home to "blow her head off".<ref name="complicate"/> The responding police officer described this as "extreme threats".<ref name="complicate"/> Federal records show that Dean, as well as her mother and stepfather, were business partners of Walker's, for his company Renaissance Man Inc.<ref name="complicate"/> Dean died in 2019; Walker's 2022 political campaign stated that the allegations in the 2012 police report were false, and that Walker still had a good relationship with Dean's parents.<ref name="complicate"/>

In October 2022, Walker's adult son Christian publicly accused Walker of having threatened to kill him and his mother.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> He addressed Walker on Twitter, stating: "You're not a 'family man' when you left us to bang a bunch of women, threatened to kill us, and had us move over 6 times in 6 months running from your violence ... how DARE YOU LIE and act as though you're some 'moral, Christian, upright man' ... You've lived a life of DESTROYING other peoples lives."<ref name="turmoil">Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref name=lashes/> Soon after Christian made the allegations, Walker wrote on Twitter that he loved his son "no matter what".<ref name="turmoil"/>

In December 2022, The Daily Beast reported that Cheryl Parsa, an ex-girlfriend of Walker who lives in Dallas, had alleged that in 2005, during their relationship, she found Walker with another woman. According to Parsa, Walker got angry, put his hands on Parsa's neck and chest, and swung a fist at her.<ref name="Blaine">Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Mental health

File:Herschel Walker speaks to Wounded Warrior Battalion about mental health 171103-M-GE018-122.jpg

Walker giving a speech on mental health, 2017

Walker has spoken publicly about being diagnosed with dissociative identity disorder and has served as spokesperson for a mental health treatment program for veterans.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Walker says he wrote the 2008 book Breaking Free: My Life with Dissociative Identity Disorder<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> to help dispel myths about mental illness and to help others.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> DID is among the most controversial of the dissociative disorders and among the most controversial disorders found in the DSM-5-TR, with many psychiatrists expressing doubts of its validity.<ref name="Stern">Template:Cite book</ref><ref name="Hersen2012">Template:Cite book</ref><ref name="Blihar">Template:Cite journal</ref>

In the book, Walker wrote that he had a dozen distinct identities, or alters.<ref name=turbulent /> According to Walker, some of his alters did many good things, but other alters exhibited extreme and violent behavior, which Walker said he mostly could not remember.<ref name=Falco>Template:Cite news</ref> A competitive alter caused him to play Russian roulette in 1991, as he saw "mortality as the ultimate challenge", he wrote.<ref name=turbulent/><ref name=Falco /> He was formally diagnosed with the disorder in 2001, after he sought professional help for being tempted to murder a man who was late in delivering a car to him.<ref name=turbulent />

Walker attributed his divorce to his behavior caused by the disorder.<ref name=Falco /> According to Walker's ex-wife, for the first 16 years of their marriage, Walker's alters were somehow controlled, and she had no idea that he had any disorder.<ref name=Falco /> Grossman said that the situation greatly deteriorated once Walker was diagnosed, after which he began to exhibit either "very sweet" alters or "very violent" alters who looked "evil".<ref name=Falco /> She said that in one situation where Walker exhibited two alters, she was in bed when he held a straight razor to her throat and repeatedly stated that he would kill her.<ref name=Falco /> Walker did not deny Grossman's account, saying that he did not remember it, because blackouts were a symptom of the disorder.<ref name=Falco />

While receiving treatment for dissociative identity disorder in May 2002, Walker was the subject of an Irving, Texas, police report made by a friend of Grossman, Walker's ex-wife.<ref name=complicate/><ref name=stalkingclaim>Template:Cite news</ref> She said that he followed her home and that she was "very frightened" of Walker, but did not want police to make contact with him as it would "only make the problem worse."<ref name=complicate/><ref name=stalkingclaim/> She reported previously having a "confrontation" with Walker sometime around 2001, which was followed by Walker calling her to threaten her and "having her house watched".<ref name=complicate/><ref name=stalkingclaim/>

Awards and honors

On July 4, 2017, during Wrightsville's annual Fourth of July celebration and parade, Trojan Way, the street where Johnson County High School resides, was officially renamed Herschel Walker Drive.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

In the 1980s, the American Academy of Achievement awarded Walker their Golden Plate Award for being an All-American Football Player.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

NFL

• Two-time Pro Bowl selection

USFL

• 1985 USFL MVP

NCAA

• 1980 National champion
• 1982 Heisman Trophy winner
• 1982 UPI College Football Player of the Year
• Three-time Unanimous All-American
• AP All-Time All-America college football team<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• Georgia Bulldogs No. 34 retired
• College Football Hall of Fame (class of 1999)

See also

• Black conservatism in the United States
• List of American sportsperson-politicians
• List of multi-sport athletes
• List of politicians associated with Trumpism
• List of Strikeforce alumni

External links

• Senate campaign website
• Template:Sherdog
• Template:C-SPAN

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