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Georgia Republican Senate candidate Herschel Walker appeared to acknowledge a possible blowout in the primary as he dominates in the polls and invited his GOP opponents, their staff, and supporters to a “unity celebration” in an “effort to bring everyone together” on election day.
Walker’s campaign said in a press release that running for office in his home state “has been the greatest honor of my life” and that he “knew it was going to require hard work, sacrifice, and perseverance,” which is why he wants to “make sure the Republican party of Georgia is as unified as possible.”
In doing so, Walker’s campaign, “in an effort to bring everyone together,” invited “all U.S. Senate Republican candidates to bring their staff and top supporters to a unity celebration on May 24, 2022,” the same day as the primary.
“If the 2020 election showed us anything, it’s that Republicans need to put aside differences and come together. Now more than ever, it’s time to unite—not divide,” the invite said. “Regardless of the outcome, I think it is important to focus on what brings us together — we can all agree that we need to defeat Raphael Warnock in November.”
The decisive move by the Walker campaign showed how “confident” he is going into the primary, one local reporter Greg Bluestein said about the invite.
More jolt: How confident is Herschel Walker in his GOP primary victory on May 24? This morning, he issued an invitation to his Senate GOP rivals to bring their staff and top donors to a “unity celebration” on primary night. #gasen #gapol
— Greg Bluestein (@bluestein) May 9, 2022
Going into the primary election later this month, Walker’s campaign is likely to feel “confident” after showing a commanding lead in the polls throughout the primary election cycle against his GOP opponents, as well as a slight edge over incumbent Sen. Raphael Warnock (D-GA) in a general election matchup.
A recent poll from SurveyUSA, commissioned by local outlet 11 Alive, showed that Walker held a wide leader over the rest of the Republican field.
Walker took 62 percent of the vote, far outpacing his closest competitor, Agriculture Commissioner Gary Black, who took six percent. The remaining four candidates showed a combined ten percent in the poll, with 21 percent undecided.
Another recent poll, conducted by 34N22, a pro-Walker super PAC, also showed Walker with a ten-point lead over Warnock. The polling model showed Walker with 51.4 percent to Warnock’s 41 percent.
One GOP operative working on behalf of the super PAC, Stephen Lawson, called Walker’s invite to his primary opponents a “classy move” in a post on social media. “This is what real, winning leadership looks like,” Lawson wrote.
Classy move. This is what real, winning leadership looks like. #gapol
— Stephen Lawson (@StephenLawson_) May 9, 2022
However, Walker’s show of confidence was not looked at favorably by all Republicans in the state.
Another GOP operative in Georgia told Breitbart News they felt the invite from Walker was “arrogant,” adding, “Whether Herschel wins in a route or Georgia turns into Rich Strike 2.0, staffers for his opponents have spent the last year busting their asses for people they believe in. It’s as unappreciative of the work that goes into campaigns as it gets to say, ‘hey come celebrate me (before the polls even close) instead of your hard work.’”
Ashley Oliver contributed to this report.
Jacob Bliss is a reporter for Breitbart News. Write to him at [email protected] or follow him on Twitter @JacobMBliss.
