Walker-Warnock debate was supposed to be 'about the people.' Here's who will be in attendance.
Campaigns, TV host to distribute tickets to invitation-only event
If you're a curious, undecided Georgia voter who thought Friday's debate between Herschel Walker and Sen. Raphael Warnock in Savannah might be a good chance to see the two candidates in person, you're out of luck.
The long-anticipated showdown will be held before a live audience of approximately 440 attendees. But attendance is by invitation-only – with the campaigns issuing the invites.
The ticketing process runs contrary to Walker's pledge for his debate with Warnock to be “about the people.”
Walker denied three other debate invitations earlier this year, citing concerns about the setting and the debates' moderators. He chose the Savannah event, organized by TV news giant Nexstar Media, and goaded Warnock into participating.
"This debate is gonna be about the people; it's not about some political party, it's not about the press," he said on Fox News personality Sean Hannity's show in August.
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The general manager of Nexstar's local TV station, NBC affiliate WSAV, said the tickets were split between the campaigns, who will be responsible for filling the seats.
"There were no tickets sold,” said WSAV's David Hart. “There was a relatively small allotment. It's not a large venue compared to an auditorium. Less than 200 tickets are available, the vast majority of them were divided equally between the two campaigns, and those tickets are in their hands now.”
The rest of the tickets, Hart said, were split among WSAV and Nexstar.
The big show
Hart said WSAV has fielded media credential requests for the debate from outlets of all sizes, ranging from local and state media stations to national and international outlets.
Ask most politicos around the country which race is the biggest on Georgia’s midterm ballot, and they’ll likely point to two: the governor’s race rematch between incumbent Republican Brian Kemp and Democrat Stacey Abrams or the U.S. Senate race.
Abrams and Kemp have agreed to two debates, including one on Oct. 17, the first day of in-person early voting. But for Walker and Warnock, the Savannah debate is the only forum schedule. Just as Georgia's last Senate election – the runoff that put Warnock and Jon Ossoff in office – drew national interest, the 2022 vote is attracting attention as well.
More: Herschel Walker finally agrees to debate Raphael Warnock — but at a new, fourth debate
Hart anticipates a massive media crush at Plant Riverside's District Live event venue for coverage of the debate.
Controversy
Last week, The Daily Beast reported that Walker, a former NFL star, had paid for a former girlfriend's abortion. The Daily Beast later reported that the unnamed woman is also the mother of one of Walker's children.
Walker has run on an anti-abortion platform, including backing a proposal to ban abortions after 15 weeks nationally and saying he wants to ban abortion with no exceptions.
At an Oct. 6 campaign rally, Walker denied the woman's claims, saying "this here abortion thing is false, it's a lie."
More: Walker says Savannah debate with Warnock still on after abortion allegations rock campaign
Following the rally, staged at a lumber mill in a small South Georgia town located 30 minutes from his childhood home, Walker bantered with a reporter when asked about the debate.
"Oh, is (Warnock) going to be there?" Walker said. "Are you going to be there? OK, so I'll see you there."
Will Peebles is the City Council and County Commission reporter for Savannah Morning News, covering local Savannah and Chatham County decisions. He can be reached at wpeebles@savannahnow.com or on Twitter @willpeeblesSMN