Warnock, Walker agree to debate in Savannah

After weeks of backand- forth political posturing, Georgia’s U.S. Senate candidates have agreed to a televised debate. U.S. Sen. Raphael Warnock, D-Ga., and Republican challenger Herschel Walker will meet Oct. 14 in Savannah. After the two sides agreed to the debate late Tuesday, Warnock upped the ante by inviting Walker to at least one additional debate in Macon or Atlanta.

“Reverend Warnock is eager to speak to Georgians about his work on their behalf and remains hopeful Herschel Walker will do right by Georgians, get on a debate stage at least one other time … and explain his positions to them,” said Quentin Fulks, Warnock’s campaign manager. “I’m glad to see that Raphael Warnock has agreed to face the voters,” Walker countered. “I’m looking forward to October 14 so the voters can see the contrast between us.”

Georgia Public Broadcasting has scheduled a Senate debate Oct. 16 at its Midtown Atlanta studios.

But Walker has balked at such a studio debate for weeks, insisting that the debate be held before a live audience, raising the possibility that Warnock could end up on the stage with an empty podium. The Savannah debate will be hosted by WSAVTV and shown on other stations across Georgia.

This story is available through a news partnership with Capitol Beat News Service, a project of the Georgia Press Educational Foundation.