Herschel Walker s Senate campaign in Georgia has been mired by scandal over just how many secret children he has fathered, allegations of domestic violence and multiple lies about his credentials . His own campaign reportedly described him as a pathological liar , but the race between the former NFL star and Democratic Sen. Raphael Warnock isnt over yet and Walker could win it all.

Walkers candidacy should have been a long shot. After criticizing absent Black fathers, a racist trope, it was revealed that he has three secret children. He has repeatedly fumbled when discussing major policy issues, including climate change.

Since we dont control the air, our good air decided to float over to Chinas bad air, so when China gets our good air, their bad air got to move, Walker said earlier this month while discussing the Green New Deal. So it moves over to our good air space. Then, now, we got we to clean that back up.

But poll numbers show that this race isnt over yet.

An AARP Georgia poll from this month saw the two candidates in a close race, with Warnock leading Walker 50% to 47%; a Data for Progress poll , also from this month, had Walker leading 49% to 47%. And even though a June Quinnipiac College poll showed Walker down by double digits, he was still doing well with the traditional Republican base: He led Warnock 52% to 45% among men, 62% to 35% with white voters, and 52% to 45% with those 65 or older.

Part of the appeal is his status as a football hero.

Walker played on the University of Georgia team that won the national championship in 1980, a feat the university didnt achieve again until 2021. Whenever Walker would make an appearance at the universitys football stadium, hed receive a standing ovation. That championship is what many middle-aged Georgians remember and love about him.

University of Georgia football is very dominating in the state, Trey Hood, a political science professor at University of Georgia, told HuffPost. I dont want to denigrate religion, but its really a quasi-religion down here.

His popularity is really incredible, he added.