Walker says diabetics should “eat right” when asked about the cost of insulin

Herschel Walker, Georgia’s Republican Senate nominee, sparked a backlash on social media after the first half of Friday night’s debate with Democratic Senator Raphael Warnock after he said diabetics must “eat right” for insulin to be effective be.

Walker made the statement after Warnock responded to a question about whether the senator took some responsibility for record inflation after backing almost every bill pushed by President Joe Biden’s administration.

Warnock said he supports legislation like the Inflation Reduction Act so families “don’t have to choose between buying medicines and buying groceries” in reference to legislation’s ability to cap prescription drug costs for seniors on Medicare.

Walker replied to the senator that he “believed in reducing” the cost of insulin.

“But at the same time, you have to eat right,” Walker said. “There [Warnock] can’t know and i know lots of people who are on insulin and unless you [are] eat properly? Insulin isn’t good for you.”

A clip of Walker’s response was later posted by The recount on twitter.

Users on Twitter were quick to pounce on Walker’s response, including the Georgia State University law professor Anton Kreis.

“Herschel Walker on effective help for people with diabetes: ‘Eat right,'” Kreis tweeted Friday. “Good work.”

Candidate for Congress in Georgia Chuck Enderlin also took to Twitter and wrote, “Herschel Walker throws the ‘die’ in diabetes.”

Shannon WattsFounder of the organization Mom Demand Action, said Walker didn’t “understand” diabetes, among other topics discussed.

“Things Herschel Walker doesn’t understand: abortion, diabetes, how the federal government works,” Watts wrote.

Democratic pollster Matt McDermott echoed Watts’ tweet, adding that Walker was also confused about the concept of the minimum wage.

“It would be one thing if he just had bad politics,” McDermott added. “But he literally doesn’t know how basic functions of our society work.

Biden also spoke on the Inflation Reduction Act in Orange County, Calif., just ahead of Friday’s debate in Georgia to highlight his efforts to reduce the cost of prescription drugs for seniors. In a fiery speech, the president called on big drug companies to hike drug prices and on congressional Republicans, noting that all congressional Republicans voted against the bill in August.

Biden told the crowd that Democrats must maintain control of Congress after the midterm elections to continue the fight against rising prescription costs.

“[Democrats are] I will continue to fight for lower drug costs and also save on insulin for children and families,” Biden said in his speech. “Because if we keep the House and Senate this time, we’re going to make sure it applies to everyone in the country. Guaranteed.”

Walker has said repeatedly that he would not have voted for the Inflation Reduction Act had he been in Congress.

news week has reached out to Walker’s campaign for comment.