On Tuesday night, Van Jones from CNN criticized Herschel Walker’s candidacy as the results of the Georgia Senate runoff were being announced. This is Walker’s first time running for political office, and he was chosen by former President Donald Trump to run against Senator Raphael Warnock (D-GA).
Neither candidate received a majority of votes in the November midterm election, which prompted a runoff according to Georgia law. Political commentators have raised doubts about the former football star’s suitability as a candidate.
Jones said on a CNN panel, “Tonight is about Trump picking somebody who, frankly, used to be a hero. Herschel Walker used to be an inspiration. Now it means insult. He’s an insult to the Black community. And what you may see tonight is people coming out not just to vote in favor of a senator that they love, but just to vote against Donald Trump picking somebody like this and throwing this person at the voters in Georgia.” Jones called Trump’s selection of Walker “too clever by half.”
Van Jones continued, speaking as if he were Trump, “I know, I’m going to put a Black guy against a Black guy. But the guy that he picked was the wrong Black guy.” Gloria Borger asked, “So you think it’s insulting?” Jones replied, “I think it’s insulting.” Walker’s campaign has been strange at times, with him talking about werewolves and “bad air” in China. Panelist Ashley Allison agreed with Jones and added that even if she were a Republican, she would be insulted by Walker’s candidacy.
Allison said, “If you are Herschel Walker, you are an insult to the Black voters of Georgia. And honestly, I’m not Republican, but it would be an insult to me as a Republican to think that this is the type of person that I actually want to send to the United States Senate.”
