In a run code earlier this year, Herschel Walker, the Republican campaigner for US Senate successful Georgia, said: “I unrecorded successful Texas.”
The US constitution says senators indispensable beryllium 30 years old, a national for 9 years, and “shall … erstwhile elected, beryllium an inhabitant of that authorities for which helium shall beryllium chosen”.
Republicans person been burned by a akin contented already this year, successful different adjacent Senate race. In Pennsylvania, the Democratic candidate, John Fetterman, focused connected questions astir whether his opponent, the TV doc Mehmet Oz, really lived successful New Jersey. Fetterman yet won convincingly.
Control of the Senate has already been decided but triumph successful Georgia would springiness Democrats outright power by 51-49.
Walker volition look the Democratic incumbent, Raphael Warnock, successful a runoff adjacent Tuesday, a contention triggered erstwhile Warnock received the astir votes connected predetermination time but did not walk 50% of the vote. Polling puts the 2 candidates near-level, with aboriginal voting at grounds levels.
Endorsed by Donald Trump, Walker has ridden controversies implicit his concern record, alleged encouragement of abortions, household relationships, and more.
A shot prima for the University of Georgia, helium went connected to prima for the Dallas Cowboys successful the NFL. Earlier this month, CNN reported that helium was benefiting from a taxation interruption connected a Dallas location described arsenic his main residence.
On Tuesday, CNN returned to the well, reporting that successful January, portion discussing migration argumentation successful a code to Republicans astatine the University of Georgia, Walker said: “I unrecorded successful Texas … I went down to the borderline disconnected and connected sometimes.”
Walker besides said: “Everyone asks me, wherefore did I determine to tally for a Senate seat? Because to beryllium honorable with you, this is ne'er thing I ever, ever, ever thought successful my beingness I’d ever do. And that’s the honorable truth.
“As I was sitting successful my location successful Texas, I was sitting successful my location successful Texas, and I was seeing what was going connected successful this country. I was seeing what was going connected successful this state with however they were trying to disagreement people.”
CNN besides said Walker gave astatine slightest 4 interviews astir his Georgia tally from his Texas home.
When CNN archetypal reported Walker’s Texas taxation break, Anthony Michael Kreis, a instrumentality prof astatine Georgia State University, told the network: “This is much of a governmental occupation than a ineligible 1 … wherever Walker tin beryllium painted arsenic a carpetbagger.”
This week, however, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported that a ineligible complaint had been filed, urging “state investigators … to probe whether … Walker violated the instrumentality by receiving a taxation interruption connected his Texas location meant for superior residents of that authorities adjacent arsenic helium runs for national bureau successful Georgia”.
The insubstantial noted that Walker registered to ballot successful Georgia successful August 2021, soon earlier declaring his candidacy.
Nikema Williams, seat of the authorities Democratic party, told the AJC Walker whitethorn person “lied astir being a Georgia resident”.
“Georgians merit answers,” the US congresswoman said, “and Walker indispensable beryllium held accountable for his signifier of lies and disturbing conduct.”
The Walker run did not comment.