Georgia Senate candidate Herschel Walker gets tax exemption for his home…in Texas

Herschel Walker, the Republican nominee for a US Senate seat, is said to be eligible for a tax exemption to maintain his primary residence in Texas, despite running for election and residing in Georgia, according to public records.

CNN first reported Wednesday that Walker will get a Texas homestead tax exemption for 2022, saving him about $1,500. The exemption applies only to the primary residence of Texans. Tax records show Walker claimed the tax break in 2021 and 2022 despite registering to vote in Georgia and campaigning against Democratic Sen. Raphael Warnock there.

It’s unclear if Walker will break Texas tax laws, and the Texas Audit Office notes that you can still get the break if you don’t establish another primary residence if you intend to return to the Texas home and “are absent less.” than two years.” The US Constitution also only requires Senate nominees to reside in the state they will serve upon their election.

But the revelation fuels Democrat attacks on the Republican’s motives for his Senate nomination. The former NFL star has already faced criticism for his residency, despite his campaign’s efforts to promote his Georgia roots and football career. He was standing for election in Atlanta in 2021 just days before declaring his candidacy for office after living in Texas for more than 20 years.

Walker has since voted twice in Georgia. The state maintains a flexible list of requirements to run for office, CNN reports, meaning the main issue could be political rather than legal.

The Texas Tribune reported that homestead liberation has been a thorn in the side of several politicians in recent years. Former Texas Gov. Rick Perry (R) paid back some property taxes after applying for an exemption on a home his daughter lived in while she attended Texas A&M University.

Walker faces Warnock in a runoff on December 6 after neither candidate received the 50% of the vote needed to win the seat in the November 8 election.