In an open letter written to Sen. Kelly Loeffler, several Georgia pastors are calling out the Republican incumbent, for her political ads against Rev. Raphael Warnock. They say her ads can be seen as attacks on the Black church.
As the high stakes Senate runoff races continue in the state of Georgia, the political ads litter every commercial break on tv and over the radio waves. The races, which are already underway with an early voting period, are likely to determine which party has control in the Senate.
The ads are seeking to get voters out to the polls, and, for some Georgia pastors, have gone too far in their characterization of Warnock and the Black church, as reported by The New York Times.
Warnock, Loeffler’s Democratic challenger, is also the pastor of Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta, Georgia, a successor of what once was the pulpit of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
“We call on you to cease and desist your false characterization of Reverend Warnock as ‘radical’ or ‘socialist,’ when there is nothing in his backgrounds, writings or sermons to suggest those characterizations to be true, especially when taken in full context,” the coalition of pastors wrote.
Loeffler’s ads have utilized video clips of his sermons to suggest Warnock is a “radical liberal,” as she referred to him 13 times during a televised debate.
As Ebenezer’s pastor, Warnock is in a prominent position, especially among Black churches in the south. He presided over the funeral of civil rights leader Representative John Lewis, and Rayshard Brooks, a 27-year-old fatally shot by Atlanta police in June.
Warnock’s campaign has been described as “religiously progressive,” including being publicly pro-choice, which has drawn some criticism from religious communities, according to the Times.
On Saturday (December 19), Warnock and Loeffler had a Twitter exchange over the ads and key issues motivating voters to get to the polls.
Voting in the runoff election will end January 5, 2021.
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