ATHENS, Ga. — (This story has been updated to include information about debates accepted by Raphael Warnock.)
US Senate candidate Herschel Walker appeared to commit to a debate date this fall with Senator Raphael Warnock. And he denied that he ever misled people when he said he trained and became an FBI agent.
Walker’s appearance at a livestock barn was unusual in that his campaign announced it in advance – rarely the case, so far, in his campaign for the US Senate.
They were auctioning goats when the former UGA football star entered the livestock barn – spending more than twenty minutes posing for photos with supporters and some ranchers who didn’t know the auction would double as a campaign event.
"We have people on the left that are campaigning. They aren’t telling you the truth," Walker told about 80 people at the facility in northeast Athens.
Walker talked about truth in politics. We asked him about a video of him speaking in 2019, posted by the Republican Accountability Project.
"I worked for law enforcement. Y’all didn’t know that either? I spent time at Quantico in FBI training school," Walker says in the video. "Y’all didn’t know I was an agent? I probably shouldn’t tell y’all that. Y’all don’t care. But yeah, I've been in law enforcement."
Walker denied that he ever implied he'd ever been a law enforcement officer.
"The story was that I trained with the FBI," Walker said in response to a question after the campaign event. "I did train at Quantico with the FBI.... I worked with law enforcement for years, and I continue to work with them."
This spring, Walker skipped a debate with his Republican challengers. And when asked if he intends to dodge his debate with Warnock, he said, "Oh no. I don’t dodge anything. I never dodge anything. I didn't dodge in the primary."
Walker skipped debates during the primary. An empty podium represented Walker during an Atlanta Press Club debate.
He added that it was the fault of his GOP opponents -- who had repeatedly called on Walker to debate them.
Walker appeared to commit to an October debate with Warnock.
"He agreed on a debate? What date? October 16?" Walker said. "So if we negotiate and got everything right, we will debate on October 16th, and I’ll be ready to go."
Warnock's campaign released a statement saying he has agreed to three debates, including the October 16 debate. Walker didn't comment on debates Warnock has agreed to attend in Savannah and Macon.
Walker dodged questions about whether he would vote to approve a gay marriage bill pending in Congress and whether he thought the 2020 election was legitimate.
"You tell me," he said.