December 23, 2024
A new Emerson College poll shows Herschel Walker leading the Georgia Senate race against incumbent Raphael Warnock; meanwhile the economy trumps abortion as the most important issue

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Political newcomer and football legend Herschel Walker holds a slight lead in the Georgia Senate midterm race against Sen. Raphael Warnock, D-Ga., while Georgia voters express their concerns for the economy going into the midterm elections this fall.

A new Emerson College poll released Tuesday shows Trump-backed Walker with a two-point lead over Warnock, 46%-44%, in one of the country’s most heated Senate races of the year. Seven percent of voters in the state remain undecided.

While Walker still has the advantage, the race has tightened in the past few months after an April poll from the college reported that Walker was leading by four percentage points.

Despite receiving more overall support, 53% of Georgians expect Warnock to win the race in November while 47% expect Walker to be the victor.

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Herschel Walker is the Republican Senate nominee in Georgia.

Herschel Walker is the Republican Senate nominee in Georgia. (Elijah Nouvelage/Bloomberg)

Warnock is the choice for 66% of urban voters, whereas Walker holds the edge among rural and suburban voters.

Thirty-six percent of voters believe the economy, which includes jobs, inflation and taxes, is the most important issue facing Georgia right now, while abortion access is the top concern to 20% of Georgians. Crime ranked third with 15% saying it was the most important issue.

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“While the economy is the most important issue for both male and female voters, the second most important issue differs. Among women, abortion access is the most important concern for 28%, whereas among men, 19% say crime is the most important issue,” wrote Emerson College polling director Spencer Kimball. Warnock is very vocal about his pro-abortion stance, often referring to himself as the “pro-choice pastor,” but he refuses to explain if he supports any restrictions on abortion, including up until the moment of birth.

Sen. Raphael Warnock, D-Ga., is running for a full Senate term.

Sen. Raphael Warnock, D-Ga., is running for a full Senate term. (Tom Williams/Getty Images)

The poll found that Republicans are leading on the generic congressional ballot in the Peach State, 51%-46%. The GOP is also leading on the national generic congressional ballot.

In the Georgia gubernatorial race, progressive Democrat Stacey Abrams is trailing with 44% support behind Gov. Brian Kemp, R-Ga., who received 48% support among voters. The majority of Georgians expect Kemp to come out on top in November.

According to the poll, President Joe Biden maintains a fairly low approval rating of 42% among Georgia voters. His national approval rating also remains at 42%, receiving a subtle boost after signing several Democratic legislations into law.

Former President Donald Trump endorsed Herschel Walker early on in his race for the Georgia Senate.

Former President Donald Trump endorsed Herschel Walker early on in his race for the Georgia Senate. (James Devaney)

In a hypothetical 2024 matchup between former President Donald Trump and Biden, Trump led the race with 51% support while Biden only received 46% from Georgians. Almost 40% of individuals said they are more likely to vote for Trump following the FBI raid of his Mar-a-Lago home.

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The Emerson College Polling survey was conducted Aug. 28-29 with a margin of error of plus or minus 3.9 percentage points.