One cannot look at the Georgia senate runoff between Reverend Raphael Warnock and Atlanta Dream co-owner Kelly Loeffler without looking at how WNBA players turned the tide of the race.
A new analysis by the Washington Post shows that the W played a role in turning the race in Warnock’s favor.
Angele Delevoye did an in-depth analysis for a Post article on how the WNBA’s activism had an effect on the race. She mentioned a Yahoo article that asked why Loeffler, who received plenty of criticism over the summer for her comments critical of Black Lives Matter, is a WNBA owner despite “Donald Sterling vibes.”
Sterling was, of course, the former Los Angeles Clippers owner who was forced out by the NBA after a recorded conversation surfaced where he chastised his mistress for associating with Black people and bringing Black people to Clippers games.
Delevoye’s research saw that Warnock’s campaign saw a 10% rise in daily donations over previous averages. It also saw a 20% increase than what Team Warnock was raking in after WNBA players began wearing shirts that said “Vote Warnock” on them.
On the other side, it also showed Loeffler’s fundraising figures rose as well after she criticized the Black Lives Matter movement – as well as the WNBA’s answer to them.
One does not need research to know one obvious element to the race – Warnock’s support began to rise in August, after Loeffler’s comments (and the WNBA’s response) became headline news on both sports and news channels.
Democrats began coalescing around Warnock’s candidacy even with another notable Democrat – Matt Lieberman, son of 2000 Vice Presidential candidate Joe Lieberman – in the race. Meanwhile, Republicans were still split between Loeffler and Doug Collins, representative from Georgia’s ninth district.
Warnock led all candidates with roughly 33% of the November vote.
Since then, Warnock has held a virtual event with several WNBA players – including Sue Bird, Nneka Ogwumike, Breanna Stewart and Natalie Achonwa. Also part of that virtual event was former WNBA president (and fellow Georgian) Lisa Borders. Andrew Yang, former Democratic presidential candidate, also took part.
WATCH LIVE: Reverend Warnock and WNBA Players Discuss the Role of Activism in Sports https://t.co/hvTRN1xpL6
— Reverend Raphael Warnock (@ReverendWarnock) December 1, 2020
Those players have also expressed their continued support.
Thank you @e_williams_1 for your support of our campaign! With your continued support, we’ll win on January 5th! pic.twitter.com/ixVGRQ2ikf
— Reverend Raphael Warnock (@ReverendWarnock) December 2, 2020
Thank you @BreannaStewart for the kind words of support! Together, we’ll win. pic.twitter.com/vfbAMXBixR
— Reverend Raphael Warnock (@ReverendWarnock) December 2, 2020
Thanks for your support @NatAchon! Let’s win this! pic.twitter.com/Hky1g9y2WD
— Reverend Raphael Warnock (@ReverendWarnock) December 3, 2020
The latest poll of the race shows a positive sign for Warnock with a month to go until the January 5 runoff. A SurveyUSA/11Alive poll of that Senate race shows him leading Loeffler 52%-45%. The other Senate race shows Democrat Jon Ossoff ahead of Republican incumbent David Perdue 50%-48%.
Perdue got more votes than Ossoff in the November vote.
Warnock (D) 52% (+7)
Loeffler (R-inc) 45%Ossoff (D) 50% (+2)
Perdue (R-inc) 48%@surveyusa/@11AliveNews
(LV, 11/27-30)— Political Polls (@PpollingNumbers) December 3, 2020
While criticism of polls has increased since the presidential race concluded and showed slimmer margins in swing states than those polls indicated, polls always indicated a tight race in Georgia.
Those polls were accurate – Joe Biden and Kamala Harris won Georgia by roughly 12,000 votes.
CNN will air a debate between Warnock and Loeffler on Dec. 6 at 7 p.m.
