Editor’s Note: Frida Ghitis, a former CNN producer and correspondent, is a world affairs columnist. She is a weekly opinion contributor to CNN, a contributing columnist to The Washington Post and a columnist for World Politics Review. The views expressed in this commentary are her own. View more opinion on CNN.
CNN
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Herschel Walker, the former football star now running to become a Republican US senator from Georgia, needs to pull a rabbit out of a hat.
Georgians are already standing in long early-voting lines for the December 6 runoff election between Walker and Sen. Raphael Warnock. The Democratic incumbent narrowly beat Walker earlier this month but didn’t clear the 50% mark required under state law – thanks to the presence, also, of a Libertarian candidate, triggering a second round.
Rerunning a close race means both candidates have a tough job. Above all, they need to get their supporters back to the polls. Then, they must add to their totals. But the challenge is far greater for Walker for a number of reasons.
The main reason has a name. It begins with “T” and ends in “ump.”
Yes, former President Donald Trump, who all but anointed Walker as the Republican nominee, is one of the biggest obstacles standing between Walker and the Senate. To win the runoff, Walker needs to convince those who voted for him to do it again, but he also needs to bring in Republicans and independents who dislike Trump.
Here’s the dilemma: To fire up enthusiasm among Trumpists so they’ll turn out again, he needs to feed them the political red meat that keeps MAGA energized. But that’s the same menu that can make other voters he needs feel nauseous.
The phenomenon was on full display last week. Little more than 24 hours after a shooter in Colorado Springs, Colorado, went on a shooting rampage in an LGBTQ nightclub, killing five people, Walker released a new commercial attacking transgender athletes, a favorite issue in many Republican campaigns.
The anti-trans ad aimed to appeal to frightened conservatives, particularly older voters, who worry social change is making the country unrecognizable. It was a play to bring the already-persuaded to the polls.
But the timing of the ad, the Monday after the weekend…
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