The WNBA is being credited for a runoff in the Georgia Senate races. Deets on how the ladies made it happen, plus reports about counties in Georgia cutting down on early voting locations inside…
It’s still election season in the state of Georgia. And the election results will determine who will run the state’s Senate.
On November 3rd, the 2020–21 Georgia Senate election went down where record numbers of voters came out to cast their vote. However, none of the candidates received a majority of vote, so the runoff races were set in motion. Just four weeks left before Georgia voters head back to the polls.
So, how does the WNBA make a play on the political scene? Well, the ladies used their platform to back the senator who was running against the WNBA team owner (and Republican) who criticized the Black Lives Matter movement.
Over the summer, WNBA players began speaking out against WNBA team owner Sen. Kelly Loeffler over comments she made about the Black Lives Matter movement. She dubbed BLM as a “very divisive organization” that promotes “violence and destruction across the country.” Star players called for her to resign, but it never happened.
That’s when they switched up the play.
The Atlanta WNBA players started to publicly endorse their team owner’s opponent Rev. Raphael Warnock. They wore “Vote Warnock” t-shirts on TV and explained why they were supporting him in several interviews. And they're still showing him support! This is the type of political shade we love to see.
According to The Washington Post, Warnock’s numbers began to increase after the WNBA launched their t-shirt campaign:
Warnock’s polling and donation numbers started rising over the summer. In November, he forced Loeffler into a runoff election, to be held in January. Warnock recently said that the WNBA’s decision to support him was a “turning point” in his campaign.
Was that really because of the WNBA? Many things started going right for Warnock during the summer aside from the players’ support. My research suggests that Warnock is right: WNBA support made the difference.
You can get the full scientific breakdown here.
Check it:
She co-owns a WNBA franchise, and the entire league says to Vote Warnock.https://t.co/61wA817kSw
— Nathan Max (@natemax) December 7, 2020
Thanks for your support @NatAchon! Let’s win this! pic.twitter.com/Hky1g9y2WD
— Reverend Raphael Warnock (@ReverendWarnock) December 3, 2020
Now, THIS is one example of how you use your platform to create change.
According to MoveOn.org, Rev. Raphael Warnock currently leads Kelly Loeffler by just 2.2%, following their recent debate.
During the debate, Kelly refused to acknoledge Trump lost reelection in November.
Peep clips and commentary from the debate below:
Kelly Loeffler's family accepted $3.2m in farm subsidies from the govt, meanwhile she said it was "counterproductive" to give Georgians $600 of relief.
“Why is it counterproductive to help ordinary Georgians in the middle of a pandemic?”
Warnock ftw...pic.twitter.com/dOOCYlLG0u
— Rex Chapman (@RexChapman) December 7, 2020
We know what she’d actually like to call @ReverendWarnock. The same thing folks like her have called smart, principled, Black men fighting for change for generations. We SEE you, @KLoeffler.
BTW she “owns” a #WNBA team full of #RadicalLiberal Black women.
cc: @AtlantaDreamhttps://t.co/MOmLAVdP7u
— yvette nicole brown (@YNB) December 8, 2020
Kelly's own team doesn’t deal with her, so that tells us ALL we need to know.
Also, running in the runoff elections…
Incumbent Sen. David Perdue and Democratic challenger Jon Ossoff (pictured above) are running for a spot in Georgia’s Senate. Ossoff called Perdue a “coward” after he didn’t show up to participate in their televised debate. Womp.
By the way, Perdue also skipped out on the finale debate leading up to Election Day. It just goes to show Perdue isn't concerned about campaigning to voters to support him. At this point, his privilege slip is showing and he doesn't care.
As of right now, Jon Ossoff leads David Perdue by less than one percentage point, so it’s still a really tight race. And it doesn't help that Georgia is back with some foolishness that involves early voting.
Several counties in Georgia have reportedly cut down on early voting locations, which has activists on alert.
NBC News reports:
Four of the 10 most populous counties in Georgia are reducing the number of locations where people can vote early in the state’s Senate runoff races, prompting outcry from civil rights and voting rights organizations.
In Cobb County, the state’s third most populous county with more than 760,000 residents, election officials have announced five early voting locations, fewer than half of the 11 used for early voting ahead of last month's general election.
Advocates warned that the reduction of early voting sites will particularly harm Black and Latino voters in the state by making it harder to access the polls.
“We are especially concerned that these closures will be harmful to Cobb County’s Black and Latinx voters because many of the locations are in Black and Latinx communities,” a group of advocates, including Georgia branches of the NAACP and the American Civil Liberties Union, wrote in a letter Monday to local officials, calling on them to maintain 11 early voting sites for the runoff. They included a map that showed how most of the early voting locations are in areas with a higher shares of Black voters.
It's always some ish with GA when it comes to voting. That's why people like Stacey Abrams - who actively advocates for democracy - are so important.
Meanwhile, Trump has been praising his base in Georgia ahead of the runoff election:
THANK YOU GEORGIA! pic.twitter.com/62s0XaiYPI
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 8, 2020
The Georgia Senate runoff election is January 5th. Early voting will start December 14th.
Sports correspondent Taylor Rooks:
"Just mailed in my absentee ballot for the Georgia Runoff!! The outcome of this runoff election will decide which party has control of the U.S. Senate. early voting begins December 14th and the last day to vote is January 5th!! Plenty of time to make an early voting plan. your vote is a big part of your voice! Head to whenweallvote.org for more @whenweallvote"
The voting registration deadline was December 7th. Absentee ballot requests can be made by Jan. 1st and they will need to be returned in person or by mail by January 5th at 7pm. If you need more information about the voting process, click here.
Photos: AP Photo/Ben Gray
