WRIGHTSVILLE, Ga. — Former President Donald Trump makes no bones about it -- he wants Johnson County native and Heisman Trophy winner with the University of Georgia Herschel Walker to run for political office.
Trump wants Walker to challenge Senator Raphael Warnock in the 2022 race.
While he's dropped some hints, so far, Walker isn't saying if he'll run.
Wrightsville, Georgia is a small town of about 3,600 folks. Everyone knows everyone. Herschel Walker was born and raised here, and, of course, with his athletic career, his honesty about his challenges with mental illness and now his possible political run, he is a topic of conversation.
Joseph Sumner is a lawyer in town. His mom was the Walker family physician.
"People associate him with football, but he was valedictorian of his high school class," he recalled.
Sumner recently chatted with Walker -- it's something that happens every now and then.
"When my cell phone rings and the name on it says Herschel Walker, I always answer the phone," he joked.
Sumner says Walker got the political world's attention when he spoke at the Republican National Convention.
"I think, frankly, if he gets into politics, it's a sacrifice -- he doesn't need to do it, doesn't have to do it, but I think he just wants to do it," Sumner projected.
Janibeth Outlaw is the town's relatively new mayor.
"Sometimes, I feel like I'm the one having to end the conversation because he is he still wants to keep talking," she said with a big smile.
She says Walker calls about a few projects in the works.
If you ask her about the town's most famous citizen -- who resides in Texas these days -- she thinks he could make a difference in Washington for Wrightsville.
"Communicate with communities, especially in rural Georgia, and being able to advocate for them, and I think that's what people in Georgia, and especially in small town Georgia, would like to hear from someone because he would be an advocate for us," Outlaw explained.
Walker has made appearances in Central Georgia, but folks like Leon Davis say the superstar could do more in Wrightsville, "Because when he comes here, he acts like he don't know anybody. You see, if it was me, I couldn't forget where I came from,'" Davis said.
And a few folks we chatted with like Delores Worthen just didn't want to go in depth about what kind of a politician Walker might make if he decides to take advantage of former President Donald Trump's support.
"I'm not sure about that. I'm going to keep that one to myself," she said.
As with most things in life, it's a mixed bag of reactions, but one thing is for sure -- Herschel Walker is the kind of guy who stirs up emotions.
For now, we'll have to wait to see if the next big run he makes involves the political kind.
