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Georgia Republican senatorial candidate Herschel Walker is set to appear at the Truth and Courage PAC conference in Atlanta on Saturday.
Former NFL star Walker, who has the endorsement of Donald Trump, will join Texas Senator Ted Cruz at the "Together for Truth" summit as he continues his campaign to defeat incumbent Senator Raphael Warnock in November's election.
A description on the event's website states that "true conservatives must unite to take back America" as the "radical left continues its stranglehold on power."
However, several surveys conducted in recent weeks suggest that it is Warnock, not Walker, who will come out on top in the race for the Georgia Senate seat.
An InsiderAdvantage/FOX 5 Atlanta poll released July 29 said that Warnock leads Walker by 48 percent to 45 percent.
A Fox News poll released July 29 also gave Warnock a 4 percentage point lead (46 to 42), with Warnock holding a 9-point lead (48 to 39) in a SurveyUSA/11Alive News poll released on July 26.
According to Real Clear Politics' collection of polls, Walker has not led Warnock in any survey since Emerson College Polling/The Hill poll in early April gave the Republican a 49 percent to 45 percent lead over the Democrat, with six percent still undecided.
In comparison, Warnock has led in eight of the nine subsequent surveys, with one ECU poll in June having the pair tied on 46 percent.
Walker struggling in the polls has arrived amid a string of controversies which have dogged his campaign.
These include admitting he has several love children he previously did not acknowledge, despite previously attacking absent fathers, and allegations he violently threatened his ex-wife, Cindy Grossman in 2005.
Walker has also come under scrutiny for falsely declaring he graduated from the University of Georgia—despite leaving as a junior to play professional football—and claiming he had previously worked as an FBI agent.
Walker has also made a series of statements on the campaign trail, including talking about "bad air" from China when discussing climate change at a GOP picnic in Hall County, Atlanta.
When asked by a reporter about the potential for gun reform in the wake of the school shooting in Uvalde, Texas, in May, Walker replied "what I'd like to do is see it and everything and stuff."
There had been speculation that GOP concerns over Walker's public speaking is the reason he has so far failed to take part in a televised debate against Warnock.
In early August, Walker announced he would be prepared to debate Warnock on October 14, but not via any of the three formats that have already been accepted by the incumbent.
Speaking to Fox 5 following the release of their poll placing Walker three percentage points behind Warnock, the Republican said he is not concerned.
"With that poll like that after them spending that amount of money, you know, we got a lot of time. Come November, Herschel Walker will be your Senator for the great state of Georgia," said Walker.
Newsweek has contacted Walker for comment.
About the writer
Ewan Palmer is a Newsweek News Reporter based in London, U.K. His focus is reporting on US politics, and Florida ... Read more