DILLARD, Ga. — For weeks, U.S. Sen. Raphael Warnock has offered only muted criticism of the reports that his Republican opponent paid for a 2009 abortion for his then-girlfriend. When pressed on the campaign trail, the Democrat would only say it was an example of Herschel Walker’s “disturbing pattern” of behavior.
But with polls tightening less than two weeks before the election, Warnock’s campaign had a much different response to the allegations Wednesday from a second woman who claimed Walker pressured her to have an abortion.
Warnock aide Rachel Petri released a statement that invoked Walker’s pattern of violent behavior, falsehoods and bewildering statements on the campaign trail, as well as exaggerations about his business experience and academic record.
“We know Herschel Walker has a problem with the truth, a problem answering questions and a problem taking responsibility for his actions,” Petri said.
“Today’s new report is just the latest example of a troubling pattern we have seen play out again and again and again,” Petri added. “Herschel Walker shouldn’t be representing Georgians in the U.S. Senate.”
Walker has called each abortion claim a “lie” designed to hurt his election chances. An avowed opponent of abortion rights — he has called for an outright ban on the procedure — Walker told reporters at a campaign stop in Dillard that he was “done with this foolishness.”
“I’ve already told you this is a lie,” he said, “and I’m not going to entertain it.”
At each of his stops, he was joined by U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, who has been a regular on the campaign trail in Georgia even as he fights a subpoena to appear before a grand jury in Atlanta.
Graham took a shot at Gloria Allred, the high-powered attorney representing the woman who accused Walker on Wednesday. Allred has made her reputation representing women who have accused men — including Tiger Woods, Anthony Weiner and Herman Cain — of wrongdoing.
“I’ve seen this movie before,” Graham said, describing Allred as a “celebrity lawyer from California.”
In the hours before Allred’s press conference, Walker’s campaign scrambled to respond. In Dillard, he didn’t take questions from reporters and skipped his usual photo line with supporters. Walker also canceled a planned appearance on Todd Starnes’ radio show.
“What was the excuse, Grace? The bus broke down,” Starnes said.
“Yeah, his bus was broken down,” executive producer Grace Baker replied.
“You know it happens,” Starnes replied. “What are you going to do?”
_____
