Walker campaign closes 2022 with $5 million in cash after losing Georgia Senate race

The failed campaign for George Republican Senate nominee Herschel Walker finished 2022 with over $5 million cash on hand, new campaign filings show.

Walker lost in his bid to unseat Democrat incumbent Sen. Raphael Warnock, in a tight race that was eventually decided in a runoff.

The campaign raised over $14 million and spent nearly $18.7 million from Nov. 17 and Dec. 28, according to documents filed with the Federal Election Commission, which requires expenditures to be filed across this date range even though the Georgia runoff was Dec. 6. In total, his campaign raised more than $71 million during the election cycle.

Even with significant runoff spending, Walker's campaign had more than $5 million leftover by the end of the year, documents show.

Warnock, meanwhile, raised over $193.4 million in total, including $26.6 million from Nov. 17 through Dec. 28. During this time, his campaign spent nearly $46.7 million, documents show. After winning the runoff, the Democratic senator finished 2022 with more than $6 million cash on hand, far below the initial $22.7 million he had when he started the 2022 election cycle. 

A spokesperson for Walker's campaign did not answer NBC's request to comment why the additional money was not spent in the runoff. 

Other losing candidates also have been left with millions in their campaign accounts including former South Dakota Democratic Sen. Heidi Heitkamp and Maine Democrat Sara Gideon, who unsuccessfully challenged GOP Sen. Susan Collins.

Candidates may not use the leftover money for personal expenses, but it can be used for another election bid or donated to charity, among other things.