Herschel Walker, the GOP candidate for a U.S. Senate seat in Georgia, walked back some of his past comments calling for a total ban on abortion, saying he “never” said he was opposed to exceptions in laws limiting the procedure.
Walker, a former football star challenging Democratic incumbent Sen. Raphael Warnock, was asked by NBC News’ Kristen Welker about his recent support for Georgia’s so-called heartbeat law. The law effectively prohibits abortion when cardiac activity is detected in an embryo — something that is usually possible around six weeks into a pregnancy, when many people don’t yet know they’re pregnant.
The Georgia law includes exceptions that allow victims of rape or incest to have abortions if they file a police report about the rape or incest.
Welker pressed the GOP candidate about his support for the Georgia bill during a debate on Friday, noting that he had, in fact, called for a total abortion ban earlier in his campaign.
Walker claimed he had “never” expressed that position.
“It wasn’t a change. I said I support life,” he told Welker. “Georgia is a state that respects life. I’ll be a senator that protects life. And what I said then, I said I would support life, I will always support life, but I said I also support what the people voice it.”
“The people’s voice is the Georgia heartbeat bill, which has exceptions in it,” he continued. “I never said I didn’t have any exceptions. I said I’m for life. And then I said, you know, the governor has a great bill. The heartbeat bill is a great bill. It has exceptions in it.”
In fact, Walker did say earlier this year that abortion bans should have no exceptions. “There’s no exception in my mind,” he said during a campaign event in May. “Like I say, I believe in life. I believe in life.”
He also said there should be more funding for adoption services and single parents, adding that “tough times make tough people.”
Walker has since walked back other statements he’s made on abortion, including a July remark that it is a “problem” there isn’t a national ban on abortion.
Walker’s bid for Senate has remained controversial as the midterm elections approach. He skipped a recent debate in Georgia hosted by the Atlanta Press Club, calling the forum a “sham.”
The GOP candidate has also denied a woman’s allegation that he paid for her abortion. Walker acknowledged that he sent her a $700 check but said he didn’t know what it was for.
“Yes, that’s my check,” Walker said in the NBC News interview. He went on to say it was a “lie” that he knew it was for an abortion.
