Georgia Republican Senate candidate Herschel Walker is hitting back at critics who say that he hid two children from the public after several outlets reported the allegations earlier this week.
On Tuesday, The Daily Beast reported that Walker fathered a son 10 years ago and was ordered by a court to provide child support. On Thursday, the same outlet reported that Walker had another son who was not widely known. For his part, Walker denied that categorization.
“I have four children. Three sons and a daughter. They’re not ‘undisclosed’ — they’re my kids,” Walker said in a statement to The Daily Wire.
“I support them all and love them all,” he added. “I’ve never denied my children, I confirmed this when I was appointed to the President’s Council on Sports Fitness and Nutrition, I just chose not to use them as props to win a political campaign. What parent would want their child involved in garbage, gutter politics like this?”
Walker served on the Fitness Council under presidents Donald Trump and Joe Biden. In March 2022, Biden asked Walker to resign. The candidate said at the time that Biden was simply trying to throw him “off track” during his GOP Senate primary campaign.
The former University of Georgia football star has long spoken out against absent dads, especially in the black community.
“If you have a child with a woman, even if you have to leave that woman — even if you have to leave that woman — you don’t leave your child,” Walker said in 2020.
Walker’s campaign manager Doug Paradise rejected the claim that Walker was hiding his children.
“Herschel had a child years ago when he wasn’t married. He’s supported the child and continues to do so,” Paradise said on Tuesday, according to CNBC. “He’s proud of his children. To suggest that Herschel is ‘hiding’ the child because he hasn’t used him in his political campaign is offensive and absurd.”
CNBC reported that Paradise pointed out that Walker’s opponent, Senator Raphael Warnock (D-GA), has his own familial troubles. Warnock is currently involved in a custody battle and has worked to seal that case from the public.
Paradise said that the media coverage of the incident has been “a complete double standard.”
“He’s dodged voters by sealing the case and even has tried to dodge authorities,” Paradise said of Warnock, according to CNBC.
For his part, Walker is demanding that all of his children be left out of the political conversation.
“Saying I hide my children because I don’t discuss them with reporters to win a campaign? That’s outrageous,” Walker added in his statement. “I can take the heat, that’s politics — but leave my kids alone.”