Republicans Battle Over Blaming Trump for Herschel Walker's Loss in Georgia

Following Herschel Walker's loss in the Georgia Senate runoff election on Tuesday night, some Republicans argued over blaming former President Donald Trump for the defeat.

"The outcome in Georgia is due primarily to Trump, who cast a long shadow over this race. His meddling and insistence that the 2020 election was stolen will deliver more losses. Trump remains a huge liability and the Democrat's best asset. It's time to disavow him and move on," John Bolton, a former National Security advisor to Trump, wrote in a tweet on Wednesday morning.

On Tuesday night, Walker conceded to incumbent Democratic Senator Raphael Warnock after several news outlets projected Walker's defeat.

"There are no excuses in life," Walker said. "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."

In response to Bolton's tweet, Republican Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene disputed the remarks and offered a different opinion on Walker's loss.

"This has to be the dumbest assessment of our Senate loss," Greene wrote in a tweet. "His campaign told Trump to stay out, so don't blame Trump. Blame the one who was hand holding him all over the state, among many other reasons."

Former Georgia state Representative Vernon Jones also chimed in on Walker's loss and said, "The media will blame Trump for tonight."

"Last time I checked, the name Trump wasn't on my ballot here in Georgia today. If you're looking for someone to blame, BLAME THE SWAMP," Jones added in his tweet.

Florida Republican Senator Marco Rubio pointed to President Joe Biden as being "unpopular" and said, "not only did we fail to win a majority, we lost a seat."

"And the Senate GOP response is going to be to make no changes?" Rubio questioned in a tweet.

Political strategist Alex Bruesewitz also responded to Walker's loss and said, "The RINO Lt. Gov of Georgia @GeoffDuncanGA, ran to the liberal media a couple days ago & said he won't be voting for Herschel Walker. He encouraged others to stay home as well. Paul Ryan & other RINOs will wrongly blame Trump for the loss. Trumps not the problem. RINOs are!"

In March last year, Trump appeared to encourage Walker to run for Senate, writing in a statement that "He would be unstoppable."

"Wouldn't it be fantastic if the legendary Herschel Walker ran for the United States Senate in Georgia?" The former president said in a statement. "Run Herschel, run."

Newsweek reached out to Trump's representatives and Walker's campaign for comment.