Former college and pro football superstar Herschel Walker easily defeated six other candidates for the Georgia GOP senate primary Tuesday with a huge, 70 percent of the vote. The AP called the race an hour after polls closed.

In November’s general election, Walker will face incumbent Democratic Sen. Raphael Warnock, an Atlanta pastor who unseated Sen. Kelly Loeffler in a runoff election last January. Warnock easily won his Democratic primary Tuesday.

Walker was the heavy favorite in Tuesday’s primary and had received the endorsement of former President Donald Trump and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, something not everyone can claim. McConnell was reportedly resistant to endorse at first, but was eventually convinced to do so by Trump.

The win by Mr. Walker was also considered a victory for Trump, who had reportedly encouraged him to run.

“Herschel Walker is a friend, a Patriot, and an outstanding American who is going to be a GREAT United States Senator,” the 45th president wrote in his endorsement a week after Walker entered the race last summer. “He embodies ‘America First’ and the winning spirit of Georgia.”

I'm running for U.S. Senate because I love this country and I love my home state of GEORGIA! https://t.co/MKrqvIQDsl pic.twitter.com/JJoJepwW06

— Herschel Walker (@HerschelWalker) October 20, 2021

Walker’s ball-running skills are the stuff of football lore. He led the Georgia Bulldogs to a national championship as a freshman in 1980, then won the Heisman Trophy as the nation’s best college football player in 1982. He was famous for his thick legs, quick moves, and ability to simply run over people.

He went on to play in the USFL and later, the Dallas Cowboys of the NFL, ending his career with 8,225 yards rushing.

Walker, 60, defeated state Agriculture Commissioner Gary Black, former state legislator Josh Clark, businessman Kelvin King, retired Gen. Jonathan McColumn, and former Navy SEAL Latham Saddler.

Walker’s road to the ultimate prize of a Senate seat is sure to get tougher. He faces several scandals, including a report that his ex-wife secured a protective order against him in 2005, alleging threats and controlling behavior. He’s also been accused of inflating his academic record by, among other things, claiming that he graduated from the University of Georgia, when he in fact did not.

We can assume though that tonight he’s going to celebrate. One thing we know for sure — the general election fight is going to be hard-fought. Expect things to heat up quickly.