Fox News Anchor Asks GOP Senator if Party is on the Verge of Blowing Midterms Thanks to Herschel Walker, Eric Greitens, and Dr. Oz

Fox News Sunday anchor Mike Emanuel asked Sen. John Barrasso (R-WY) if problematic Republican candidates like Herschel Walker, Eric Greitens, and Mehmet Oz could cause the GOP to blow their opportunity to win back control of the Senate in the 2022 midterms.

“Senator, let’s talk midterms,” said Emanuel to introduce the topic. “Republicans believe they have a golden opportunity to win back the majority. But if candidates like Herschel Walker, Eric Greitens, and Doctor Oz are not winning over the voters, is there a possibility the GOP could blow this opportunity?”

The candidates Emanuel listed have all found their names in headlines for less-than-admirable reasons that have often overshadowed other news in their respective senate races.

Former football star Walker is trailing in the polls 10 points behind incumbent Sen. Raphael Warnock (D-GA) after a series of troubling reports about domestic violence accusations against him, misrepresentations about his background, and bizarre conspiracies and rambling comments.

Then there was the secret child Walker had — oh wait, secret children — well, the current count is at three, and he reportedly lied to his own campaign staff about them. The scandal took the wind out of Walker’s rants against absentee fathers, and certainly served as a distraction to the campaign.

Former Gov. Eric Greitens (R-MO) resigned from office in 2017 amid allegations of campaign finance violations and sexual assault of a woman he was dating, lurid accusations that even his fellow Republicans in the Missouri Legislature found to be credible. His ex-wife has also accused him of physically abusing her and their children. Sen. Josh Hawley (R-MO) called for Greitens to drop out of the race, and conservative radio host Hugh Hewitt begged former President Donald Trump not to endorse Greitens.

Undeterred, Greitens has sought to portray himself as the most MAGAfied candidate in the GOP primary, releasing an aggressive video ad that offered “RINO Hunting Permits” to his contributors that was loudly denounced on both sides of the political aisle and removed or censored by major social media platforms. Greitens responded to the backlash by releasing yet another gun-centered ad spot — which came out on the same day that a former friend released a video message calling Greitens a “broken man” and urging him to drop out and “[t]ry to repair the damage you have done, to your family, your country, and yourself.”

Oz has been heavily criticized for running for Senate in Pennsylvania when he doesn’t seem to live there. After spending decades residing in New Jersey, Oz only registered to vote in the Keystone State in late 2020, using his in-laws’ address, and was loudly mocked earlier this month for a campaign ad he filmed at his New Jersey mansion. A number of prominent conservatives — including Fox News host Laura Ingraham — lamented Trump’s endorsement of Oz, but he squeaked out a narrow victory and the party is now stuck with him and his nutty comments, record of flip-flopping, and security concerns over his relationship with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.

None of these issues seemed to bother Barrasso, who stuck firmly to the party line and declared himself to be “very optimistic” about the GOP’s chances in November.

“The number one issue is inflation,” said Barrasso, adding that voters were looking to Republicans as the “solution on inflation, on energy, on the economy, on the chaos at the border, on crime in the cities.”

Regarding Walker, Greitens, and Oz, Barrasso continued, “they understand their states” and “understand the pain that people are having in those states.”

Meanwhile, he pointed out, Democratic candidates were refusing to be seen with President Joe Biden, mentioning an event in Ohio the previous week where the Democratic candidates for senate and governor did not attend.

“People are distancing themselves as Democrats from this administration,” he concluded. “I’m very optimistic about our opportunities in November.”

Watch the video above, via Fox News.

This article has been updated to correct a typo that Barrasso represents Wyoming, not Kentucky.