What’s Walker Doing? Hint: Not Much At All

After more than a month in Georgia’s U.S. Senate race, Herschel Walker’s campaign has been met with a resounding question from Georgia Republicans: Where is Walker? Over the past 35 days, Walker’s campaign has been in hiding — with his first and only event for several weeks being a private fundraiser with high-dollar conservative donors and his only widely-publicized event since launch being Trump’s divisive Perry rally.   

Walker’s strategy to “stay out of sight and severely limit his exposure to voters and the media” and “pattern of staying mum on most key issues,” has created a “largely behind closed doors” campaign that is causing frustration among Georgia Republicans. 

Here’s what Georgia GOP operatives, commentators, and activists are saying about his hidden campaign:

• “How long can Herschel continue to operate without doing many public events or answering questions?” said Eric Tanenblatt, a veteran Georgia GOP strategist.

• “I don’t know a lot about him. There’s a lot of uncertainty still. Obviously, he’s not here and I just don’t know where he stands on the issues,” said Julie Woods Hill, an Alpharetta activist at the GOP Fish Fry Walker no-showed. 

• “You can’t hide forever,” said another Georgia Republican strategist.

• “Everybody I talk to in the Republican universe who isn’t being paid by [Walker] is terrified,” said yet another GOP strategist in Georgia, who requested anonymity to speak candidly about private conversations.

• “Nevermind holding his own events, he’s had a couple of occasions to show up at other Republican events that were already scheduled: fish fries, big county party gatherings, and he’s declined a couple of those — hasn’t shown up at any of them. … If that’s the strategy? Eh,” said Athens-based conservative commentator and WGAU radio host Tim Bryant.

• “If any Republican in Georgia told you they didn’t have concerns about his candidacy, they’d be lying to you. We all have concerns,” said Chip Lake, yet another veteran GOP strategist in Georgia.

“Republicans across the state have been asking: Where is Walker? The answer: dodging voters, avoiding questions, and failing to hold widely-publicized events,” said Dan Gottlieb, spokesman for the Democratic Party of Georgia.

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