Herschel Walker Praises 'Gas-Guzzling Cars' That Release 'Good Emissions'

Georgia Senate candidate Herschel Walker said the U.S. needs "gas-guzzling cars" that release "good emissions" during a campaign event Monday.

Walker is set to face off against Democratic Senator Raphael Warnock on December 6 in Georgia's runoff, after neither candidate received 50 percent of the vote during the midterm elections. The seat, won by Warnock in 2020, has been viewed as one of the most hotly-contested in a state that has shifted toward Democrats in recent years.

Both candidates are again hitting the campaign trail in hopes to secure enough votes to win the runoff. Warnock won more votes than Walker in Tuesday night's race, but the race is still seen as a toss-up.

During a campaign stop in Augusta on Monday, Walker suggested the U.S. is not prepared for a shift toward green energy—and that current car emissions are fine.

"If we were ready for the green agenda, I'd raise my hand right now," he said. "But we're not ready right now, so don't let them fool you like this is the new agenda. We're not prepared, we're not ready right now."

He continued: "What we need to do is keep having those gas-guzzling cars. Because we've got the good emissions under those cars."

His remarks contradict the scientific consensus on greenhouse gases. Cars emit a variety of gases viewed as harmful to the environment, including carbon dioxide, which scientists point to as being one of the contributing factors to climate change.

Democrats have proposed legislation to move U.S. energy policy toward using more sustainable power sources to combat climate change, which scientists warn will have devastating effects on the environment, including rising sea levels as ice caps melt, as well as long-term economic and societal effects.

Republicans have opposed such legislation, citing the immediate economic strain the transition would have on consumers and energy producers. Some Republicans have sought to downplay the reality of climate change, though scientists overwhelmingly say it is occurring.

Some social media users mocked Walker for the remarks.

"Have you ever wondered what it would sound like if you tried to make a coherent point but all your words got in a fight with each other?" tweeted Robert Maguire, Citizens for Ethics research director.

"Wait, what?" tweeted MSNBC Host Rachel Maddow.

Journalist Soledad O'Brien tweeted that his remarks were "impressively ignorant."

A video of his remarks posted by The Recount received more than 237,000 views Monday afternoon.

Senate Democrats received some relief this week after they held onto competitive seats in Arizona, Nevada and Pennsylvania, securing their majority in the upper chamber going into the runoff.

However, a Warnock win would provide them cushioning for 2024, when they have to defend seats in Republican-leaning states like Montana, Ohio and West Virginia.

Newsweek reached out to Walker's campaign for comment.