Georgia Republican Senate candidate Herschel Walker said on Saturday that he "never denied" the existence of children he had not publicly disclosed before, telling conservative Christians that his kids "knew the truth”.
Speaking before a friendly audience at the Faith and Freedom Coalition’s annual “Road to Majority” conference, Mr Walker said the revelations about his children had only emboldened his campaign.
“Well, first of all, they knew the truth. I’ve never denied any of my kids and I love them more than I love anything," he said. “And they didn’t do anything, which just makes me want to fight harder because I’m tired of people misleading the American people. I’m tired of people misleading my family.”
Mr Walker's comments came after the American news website The Daily Beast reported that the former football star has four children, including two sons and a daughter whom he had never discussed publicly.
He has repeatedly criticised absentee fathers over the years and has called on black men in particular to play an active role in the children's lives, holding up his relationship with his son, Christian, as an example.
Mr Walker, who was interviewed on stage in Nashville, Tennessee, by coalition chair Ralph Reed, said he “knew what I signed up for when I got into this and they don’t realise that”.
“No weapon formed against me should ever prosper,” he said, prompting loud applause and cheers.
Mr Walker will face Democratic Senator Raphael Warnock in the November general election, with the contest helping to determine which party will control the Senate, now split 50-50, next year.
Mr Walker, who has been endorsed by top Republicans, including former president Donald Trump and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, has faced serious allegations throughout his campaign. These include claims that he threatened his ex-wife's life and that he has lied about his background.
There have also been allegations that he dramatically inflated his record as a businessman; overstated his role in a for-profit programme that is alleged to have preyed on veterans while defrauding the government; and that he graduated at the top of his class from the University of Georgia. However, he did not graduate, as the Atlanta Journal-Constitution first reported.
Specs
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Power: 218hp (Cooper and Aceman), 313hp (Countryman)
Torque: 330Nm (Cooper and Aceman), 494Nm (Countryman)
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh158,000 (Cooper), Dh168,000 (Aceman), Dh190,000 (Countryman)
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Tearful appearance
Chancellor Rachel Reeves set markets on edge as she appeared visibly distraught in parliament on Wednesday.
Legislative setbacks for the government have blown a new hole in the budgetary calculations at a time when the deficit is stubbornly large and the economy is struggling to grow.
She appeared with Keir Starmer on Thursday and the pair embraced, but he had failed to give her his backing as she cried a day earlier.
A spokesman said her upset demeanour was due to a personal matter.
The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
Tewellah by Nawal Zoghbi is out now.
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Traits of Chinese zodiac animals
Tiger:independent, successful, volatile
Rat:witty, creative, charming
Ox:diligent, perseverent, conservative
Rabbit:gracious, considerate, sensitive
Dragon:prosperous, brave, rash
Snake:calm, thoughtful, stubborn
Horse:faithful, energetic, carefree
Sheep:easy-going, peacemaker, curious
Monkey:family-orientated, clever, playful
Rooster:honest, confident, pompous
Dog:loyal, kind, perfectionist
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ZAYED SUSTAINABILITY PRIZE
What drives subscription retailing?
Once the domain of newspaper home deliveries, subscription model retailing has combined with e-commerce to permeate myriad products and services.
The concept has grown tremendously around the world and is forecast to thrive further, according to UnivDatos Market Insights’ report on recent and predicted trends in the sector.
The global subscription e-commerce market was valued at $13.2 billion (Dh48.5bn) in 2018. It is forecast to touch $478.2bn in 2025, and include the entertainment, fitness, food, cosmetics, baby care and fashion sectors.
The report says subscription-based services currently constitute “a small trend within e-commerce”. The US hosts almost 70 per cent of recurring plan firms, including leaders Dollar Shave Club, Hello Fresh and Netflix. Walmart and Sephora are among longer established retailers entering the space.
UnivDatos cites younger and affluent urbanites as prime subscription targets, with women currently the largest share of end-users.
That’s expected to remain unchanged until 2025, when women will represent a $246.6bn market share, owing to increasing numbers of start-ups targeting women.
Personal care and beauty occupy the largest chunk of the worldwide subscription e-commerce market, with changing lifestyles, work schedules, customisation and convenience among the chief future drivers.
