Herschel Walker, the previous University of Georgia football star, filed paperwork with the Federal committee on Tuesday to run Senate in Georgia, months after former President Donald Trump publicly encouraged his longtime friend to campaign for the key seat.

Walker is predicted to be the first front-runner within the primary if he gets the backing of Trump, the foremost influential Republican within the party.

"This might be the foremost important filing for the foremost important race within the country," said Randy Evans, a Georgia lawyer and former US ambassador to Luxembourg within the Trump administration. "It is that the signal Georgia Republicans are waiting on and therefore the one the Democratic Senatorial Committee feared most."

"Herschel Walker understands the predicament our country is now in and therefore the importance of these who love this country to breakthrough and do what it takes to save lots of it," Evans added.

But some GOP strategists and lawmakers from Georgia to Washington, DC, are deeply worried about Walker's potential campaign, fearing that Walker could cost the GOP a winnable seat currently held by Democratic Sen. Raphael Warnock. Three Republican candidates -- Georgia agriculture commissioner Gary Black, construction firm owner Kelvin King and former Trump national security official Latham Saddler -- have already announced their campaigns.

Senate legislator Mitch McConnell has even suggested to allies that former Georgia Sens. David Perdue and Kelly Loeffler should take another check out running again, after their narrow losses in January flipped the Senate to Democratic control. McConnell met this summer with Loeffler and Perdue.

New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy signed a replacement anti-hazing bill into law Tuesday that needs schools to adopt policies against hazing and increases penalties for those found guilty.

The law is inspired by the death of Timothy J. Piazza, consistent with a press release from the governor's office.

Piazza, of Lebanon, New Jersey, died in 2017 after excessive drinking on his first night pledging the Beta Theta Pi house at Penn State University led to a series of falls that resulted during a severe head injury and his death subsequent day, consistent with court records and testimony.

Fraternity members waited 12 hours to call 911, and Piazza died from a traumatic brain injury, consistent with court records and testimony.
"The safety of our students is our top priority, and that we must do all that we will to guard them from cruel and dangerous hazing rituals," Murphy said. "With today's bill signing, we honor Tim Piazza's life and make our strongest effort yet to uproot hazing to stop similar tragedies."

The new law requires all "higher education institutions," also was public and personal middle and high schools, in New Jersey to adopt anti-hazing policies and enforce penalties for violations of the policy, the governor's office said.

Additionally, the law raises the severity of hazing charges, effectively enforcing a harsher punishment upon conviction.