WASHINGTON, -- Wednesday's endorsement by Mitch McConnell, Senate Minority Leader, of Herschel Walker for Senate in Georgia was made. This lends the weight of the most high-ranking elected GOP official to the candidacy.

Walker is the odds-on favorite for the Republican primary next year. He has a coveted profile and seeks to unseat Raphael Warnock (Democrat, state's first Black senator) and help the GOP regain the Senate.

Walker was a Georgia football hero before embarking on a long NFL career. Walker is a chicken producer whose products are widely available. He's also a Black conservative with support from former President Donald Trump. Walker was repeatedly encouraged to run by his friend.

Walker reveals a long history of mental health problems. The Associated Press conducted an investigation in July and found that Walker had made repeated threats to his ex-wife's health. He also exaggerated financial success claims and alarm business associates with unpredictability.

McConnell (R-Ky.) was initially hesitant about Walker's candidacy. McConnell now endorses Walker to avoid a potentially messy intraparty fight that could have hampered the pursuit of a Senate majority.

McConnell stated that "I am happy endorse Herschel Walker U.S. Senate in Georgia." "Herschel is our only hope to unite the party and defeat Senator Warnock. He will also help us regain the Senate. I look forward working with Herschel Washington to accomplish the task.

Walker exuded himself in his own speech, praising McConnell for "commitment to bring the party together towards the collective goal of defeating Senator Warnock."

Walker stated that "the Democrats have already declared they will spend whatever it takes" to keep Georgia blue. "The stakes are higher than ever -- if we all cooperate, we will win next year and take back the Senate." Senator McConnell's support is greatly appreciated by Team Herschel.

The race for the 2022 Senate seat is expected to be one of the most closely contested in the current election cycle. Georgia, a long-held GOP territory, has become a key battleground since Democrat Joe Biden won it last November in the presidential election. In January, Democrats won both Senate seats through run-off elections.

Warnock won the special election to complete the term of Republican Senator Johnny Isakson. He will be running in 2022 for a 6-year term.

Many Republicans lined up quickly to join the primary. Walker, who had teased a candidacy for months but was vaguely vague, effectively stopped the field due to his close association with Trump.

Walker's campaign was launched in late August. He is one of few Trump-backed candidates that have raised GOP concerns because they were not subject to sufficient screening before being given the endorsement of Trump.

Walker revealed his mental illness in "Breaking Free", a 2008 book that detailed a diagnosis for dissociative identity disorder. Walker described as many as 12 personalities, or "alters," that he created as a defense against bullying that he suffered as an overweight, stuttering child.

According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, the disorder is described as "alternating between multiple identity," which leaves a person with "gaps of memory of every day events." Men with the disorder are more likely to exhibit violent behavior than amnesia.

Walker admitted to having violent urges in his book. Walker wrote that he used to play Russian roulette, and that he recalled sitting at the kitchen table in 1991, pointing a gun loaded with one bullet at his head. Walker said that he wasn't suicidal and "just saw mortality as the ultimate challenge."

Walker presented a turnaround story. He stated that he had decided in 2001 to "stop running and face some harsh reality." He also cited therapy and his Christian faith.

It was driving his car to confront the man who "messed up mine schedule", and then thinking about how it would feel to shoot him. After seeing the bumper sticker that said "SMILE", Walker decided to change his course. JESUS LOVES You."

According to court records obtained from the AP, Walker's violent behavior continued long after 2001 revelations.

Cindy Grossman, Walker's ex-wife noted Walker's outbursts during their divorce proceedings. Grossman said that Walker had repeatedly expressed a desire to kill her and her boyfriend.

Maria Tsettos' sister, Walker, called to inquire about his ex-wife, according to an affidavit. She was out with her boyfriend when he called. Tsettos answered the phone and stated that Walker became "very dangerous" after being told about Grossman's location. Tsettos recalls that Walker stated "unambiguously" that he wanted to shoot Cindy and her boyfriend in their heads.

Walker reached out to Tsettos again and made the same threats in graphic language. Grossman's court account states that Walker confronted her later that day. He "slowly drove past in his vehicle, pointed at (her), and traced (her), with his finger as (he) drove."

A Texas judge granted Walker a protective order.

According to court filings, concerns about Walker's behavior influenced his chicken business, which is now called Renaissance Man Food Services.

Walker claimed that his company had hundreds of employees, which included Arkansas chicken processing plants and a revenue of $70 million to $80million annually. Walker applied last year for federal Paycheck Protection Program. His company only reported eight employees and received $182,000 in assistance.

Walker stated that the company made an average of $1.5 million per year in profits from 2008 to 2017. Walker's business associates also testified in the case, stating that Walker does not have chicken processing plants. They described Walker as a licensing partner, who lends his name and business to the enterprise.

Walker is portrayed as temperamental and unreliable in records from a 2018 wrongful termination case -- which the employee eventually lost.

Walker's main rivals promised to continue despite McConnell’s endorsement.

"We're here to win it, Georgia's candidate (not Swamp's)," stated Gary Black, Georgia's agriculture commissioner. He compared his campaign with the Atlanta Braves' surprising World Series run. "Our mindset today mirrors the #Braves': Kill the narrative."