Herschel Walker Concedes Senate Race: 'No Excuses'

Republican Herschel Walker has conceded Georgia's U.S. Senate runoff election to incumbent Democratic Senator Raphael Warnock.

Walker admitted that the votes would not "add up" in his favor as he addressed supporters at campaign headquarters in Atlanta on Tuesday night, shortly after the race had been called by multiple networks.

The Trump-endorsed former NFL star did not mention Warnock directly during the brief speech, while offering "no excuses" for his loss.

"I want to thank all of you...because we've had a tough journey, have we not?" Walker told the crowd. "One of the things I said when they called the race, I said the numbers doesn't look like it's gonna add up....I don't want any of you to stop believing in America...believe in our elected officials and most of all, continue to pray for them."

"There are no excuses in life," he continued. "I'm not going to make any excuses now, because we put up one heck of a fight. This is much bigger than Herschel Walker."

Walker's defeat is the latest in a recent series of losses by high-profile Republican candidates who were endorsed by former President Donald Trump.

The former president strongly urged his supporters to turn out for Walker in Truth Social posts on Monday and Tuesday, describing the candidate as "WONDERFUL" while calling Tuesday "a big day" for "MAGA voters" and "people that want to Make America Great Again and Put America First."

"OUR COUNTRY IS IN BIG TROUBLE," Trump posted after Walker's concession, without directly referencing the election. "WHAT A MESS!"

Newsweek reached out to Trump's office for comment.

Walker's quick concession was praised on social media, with some favorably comparing the candidate's decision with Trump's continued refusal to acknowledge that he lost the 2020 presidential election.

"Good for Herschel Walker for a graceful concession speech," tweeted former Trump aide Alyssa Farah Griffin. "Another losing Trump candidate who showed more honesty & character than Trump did in losing."

"#Walker just became > #Trump," radio programmer and presenter Toby Knapp tweeted. "Why? He had the fidelity and integrity to say 'I LOST.'"

"With Walker conceding his loss in Georgia, election denial takes another hit," tweeted children's musician Raffi Cavoukian. "Trump madness may be on the wane. #GArunoff"

"Well Walker's at least got more class than the Trumps and Kari Lakes of the world who can't admit when they've gotten beat," Democratic pollster and podcaster Zac McCrary tweeted.

In his victory speech, Warnock vowed to "keep working" for all Georgians after winning a full six-year Senate term. Warnock has been a senator for nearly two years after previously defeating former Republican Senator Kelly Loeffler in a January 2021 runoff election that flipped control of a 50-50 Senate to the Democrats after President Joe Biden took office.

Warnock's win on Tuesday ensures that Democrats will control the upper chamber with a 51-seat majority, eliminating the need for the party to negotiate a power-sharing agreement with Republicans.

In a tweet, Biden said that he called Warnock to congratulate him on his win, calling the election a victory for "democracy" and rejection of "Ultra MAGAism."