Haley endorses Walker in Georgia Senate race

Nikki Haley, the former South Carolina governor and U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, endorsed Republican Herschel Walker’s Georgia Senate bid on Thursday.

In a video posted to Twitter, Haley cited the current 50-50 split in the Senate and underscored the Peach State’s marquee Senate race as an opportunity for the GOP to retake the chamber. 

“We only need one more seat in the Senate to take back America. You can help us do it today, and I think we do it with Herschel Walker in Georgia. He will fight for conservative values, he’ll fight for families, he will fight against socialism, he’ll protect veterans and he will make you proud,” she said.

The endorsement is the latest sign of the GOP establishment coalescing around Walker, a former running back for the University of Georgia who had a lengthy NFL career. Walker is endorsed by former President Trump and is the heavy favorite to win the Republican nomination.

Walker is also backed by Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and Senate Minority Whip John Thune (R-S.D.).

Republicans had initially been trepidatious over Walker’s candidacy in light of his erratic past, including allegations of domestic violence toward his ex-wife, though the endorsements indicate Republicans are willing to overlook that.

Should Walker win the nomination, he will face off against Sen. Raphael Warnock (D), who won his seat in a 2021 runoff election against former Sen. Kelly Loeffler (R). 

Haley’s endorsement also signifies her involvement in the midterm races and expanding her network amid rumors she’s considering a 2024 presidential campaign. However, Haley, who served as ambassador to the U.N. under Trump, has said she will not run if the former president wages a comeback bid.