Herschel Walker posts best fundraising quarter yet, amid scrutiny; Raphael Warnock raises more
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Republican Senate candidate Herschel Walker just had his best fundraising quarter yet, with nearly $6.2 million raised over the last three months.
- But that's under 3x less than the $17.2 million that incumbent Sen. Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.) raised during the same time.
The big picture: The fundraising news comes the same week that Walker's campaign announced a slew of new hires, including multiple veteran national specialists. And it's all happening amid a steady stream of scrutiny of Walker's past and of his statements on the campaign trail.
- Recent reports have included revelations of Walker's previously undisclosed children, past false claims to have worked in law enforcement and anonymous campaign sources calling Walker "a pathological liar." (Walker's campaign manager called that "pure gossip.")
The Walker campaign and its committees have nearly $7 million in cash on hand heading into a neck-and-neck November election. But Warnock has more than $22.2 million in the bank.
Details: Walker's campaign said it received support from nearly 70,000 people in all 50 states last quarter. Warnock, however, reported nearly 260,000 contributors.
Catch up quick: In the first quarter of the year, Walker raised $5.5 million, among the highest of any Republican Senate candidate. But he has still been consistently far outpaced by Warnock, who raised $13.6 million during the same time.
- Georgia Democratic gubernatorial nominee Stacey Abrams has also raised 3x more than her Republican opponent Gov. Brian Kemp.
What he's saying: In a statement, Walker said he's "grateful for the incredible outpouring of support we've received from people who truly believe in our campaign and what we will deliver for Georgia."
Between the lines: Walker has been something of a unicorn in Republican politics, enjoying the support of both Mitch McConnell and former President Trump. But some Georgia Republicans are concerned the continued scrutiny coupled with Warnock’s powerhouse fundraising could take a toll — and even affect Walker’s fellow Republican, Kemp.
This story has been updated to reflect Warnock's campaign finance numbers.