Herschel Walker trails Sen. Warnock in fundraising despite record quarter

Days after a bombshell allegation rocked Georgia Senate hopeful Herschel Walker's campaign Monday, he has reported his best fundraising quarter yet: more than $12 million in the last three months.

Why it matters: Republicans view Georgia as essential to gaining a Senate majority in November, and the fundraising attention shows it.

Driving the news: While the campaign reports this is the strongest fundraising of any Republican Senate candidate thus far, it's less than half the $26.3 million his Democratic opponent Sen. Raphael Warnock brought in during the same period.

By the numbers: Walker's campaign said it has more than $7 million in cash on hand. Warnock has $13.7 million.

Catch up quick: Despite major attention on the report alleging Walker paid for an ex-girlfriend to get an abortion in 2009 — and Walker's son's subsequent comments accusing his father of lying — major national Republican groups have doubled down on their commitments to back Walker to the tune of tens of millions of dollars.

What we're watching: Walker almost immediately began fundraising on the blowback, saying in an email blast to supporters: "I need the resources to talk directly to the voters and clear the record."

• In a Twitter post Tuesday, Walker's campaign manager Scott Paradise confirmed that Walker saw one of his best fundraising days yet following the report — though it didn't fall within the recently released reporting period.