Speaking to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, incumbent Sen. Raphael Warnock (D-GA.) claimed his Republican Senate challenger Herschel Walker “crossed the line” with comments he made about the former’s family.
Warnock admitted that “politics is ugly” and that “people play all kinds of games” but asserted Walker and his allies “crossed a line where my family is concerned.”
Warnock’s statements refer to Walker’s comments, seemingly calling the Georgia Senator a deadbeat father.
Walker said at a campaign stop in Augusta last week that Warnock doesn’t “keep his own kids” despite paying himself for childcare.
Walker contrasted himself with Warnock, claiming he takes care of his kids.
But Warnock disagrees with Walker’s characterization, saying in the interview that he wants “to set the record straight” that his children live with him.
Warnock explained that he is “present” in his children’s lives “in every way a father should be.” The Georgia Democrat noted that he was present for breakfast and “bedtime prayers at night.”
Warnock declared that he couldn’t let Walker “continue to… lie about our family.”
However, in response to Warnock saying Walker was crossing the line, the latter’s team said the Georgia Democrat’s family was “fair game” given he didn’t have an issue “with Hershel’s family being attacked.”
Walker’s family life has been making headlines and causing controversy for the Senate candidate after it was revealed that he had three children he hadn’t acknowledged publicly and later his 22-year-old son lambasting him.
Warnock’s family life has also been making headlines, after his ex-wife Oulèye Ndoye — who he is currently in a custody battle with — accused the former pastor of neglecting time with his children on his custody days and leaving her to contend with unpaid childcare expenses.