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Walker's Indigenous claims scrutinized

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Walker's Indigenous claims scrutinized

Georgia Senate candidate says he's Cherokee, but his mom and Cherokee tribes don't back him up.

Rob Capriccioso
Oct 14, 2022
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Walker's Indigenous claims scrutinized

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Former football player and political candidate Herschel Walker interacts with former president of the United States Donald Trump prior to Game Four of the World Series between the Houston Astros and the Atlanta Braves Truist Park on October 30, 2021 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Michael Zarrilli/Getty Images)

WASHINGTON — Georgia Republican candidate for U.S. Senate Herschel Walker this week claimed his mother recently told him his grandma was full-blooded Cherokee.

His mother has since rebutted his claim, saying that her own grandma was somehow connected as “kin” to Cherokee, but she was unsure of the details, including blood quantum.

Walker also claims a 23 and Me DNA test shows he is Native American.

His campaign has not responded to requests for clarification on whether he claims enrollment in a specific Cherokee tribe and/or whether he has tried to enroll in one to date.

None of the Cherokee tribes have confirmed that Walker is an enrolled citizen. The Cherokee Nation has said he is not enrolled.

Current U.S. Rep. Markwayne Mullin (R-OK), who is polling ahead in his race for a U.S. Senate seat, would be the only enrolled tribal citizen in the Senate if he is elected in November.

Mullin is a citizen of the Cherokee Nation and holds a leadership position in the U.S. House Native American Caucus.

Including Mullin, there are currently 6 members of the House who are Indigenous.

U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), while supportive of tribal issues, is also not an enrolled tribal citizen. Her previous claims of Native ancestry were infamously mocked by former President Donald Trump in ways tribes have blasted as racist.

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Walker's Indigenous claims scrutinized

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5 Comments
Wanda Jean
Oct 14, 2022Liked by Rob Capriccioso

Does he claim descendancy or enrollment? Your article would be helped for accuracy and to educate the uninformed reader by clarifying that distinction at the outset.

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