Georgia Republican Senate candidate Herschel Walker pushed back on reports that he paid for a former girlfriend to have an abortion in 2009 in his first public appearance since the allegations were publicized.
At the end of a campaign stop on Thursday, Walker read a statement to media outlets, arguing Democrats are “desperate” to hold on to the Senate seat.
“They’re desperate to make this race about my family,” he said. “They don’t want to talk about [President] Joe Biden and [Sen.] Raphael Warnock [D-Ga.], what they’ve done to Georgia families.”
Walker claimed Democrats are willing to say and do “anything” to hold onto power, while expressing optimism about his chances in the race.
The Daily Beast reported Monday that a woman claimed Walker reimbursed her for an abortion after they conceived a child together, despite Walker campaigning as an opponent of abortion in all cases, with no exceptions for rape, incest or protecting the life of the mother.
The outlet further reported on Wednesday that the woman is the mother of one of his children, having later conceived a second time and going through with the pregnancy.
Walker said he has not reached out to any of the mothers of his children in the wake of the allegations. His campaign acknowledged in June that Walker has four children, three of whom were with women he was not married to.
In an appearance on “The Hugh Hewitt Show” earlier Thursday, the GOP candidate denied the latest allegations.
“I’m saying I’ve been forgiven because of all of the things I did when I went to my, the thing with my ex-wife and all that, and things I did I don’t know how many years ago that I wrote in my book. I forgot. I wasn’t perfect. I had my problem with mental health. And I was, I’ve been — I hate to say — I’ve been born again, but I have a new life,” he told Hewitt.
“And I’ve been moving forward, and had that happened, I would have said it, because it’s nothing to be ashamed of there. You know, people have done that, but I know nothing about it,” Walker continued in the interview.
Walker said later in the day that he was referring to past actions involving his ex-wife, with whom he has one son, Christian. Walker’s ex-wife has accused him of domestic abuse.
Christian Walker has slammed his father in recent days since the Daily Beast story, accusing him of “cutting corners” and “lies.”
Herschel Walker said at the press conference that he loves his son, and he will love him no matter what he has said.