Raphael Warnock

Raphael Gamaliel Warnock is an American politician and minister who has served as the junior United States Senator from Georgia since 2021. A member of the Democratic Party, Warnock made history as the first African American to represent Georgia in the Senate and the first Black Democrat elected to the Senate from a Southern state. He was first elected in a 2020 special election runoff held in January 2021 and was subsequently re-elected to a full six-year term in 2022. Born and raised in Savannah, Georgia, he grew up in public housing as the eleventh of twelve children and went on to graduate from Morehouse College with a degree in psychology before earning a Ph.D. from Union Theological Seminary. Outside of his legislative career, Warnock has served as the senior pastor of Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta since 2005, the historic pulpit once held by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. He rose to political prominence as an activist advocating for the expansion of Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act. In the Senate, he has been a member of committees including Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry; Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs; and Commerce, Science, and Transportation. His work often focuses on civil rights, maternal mortality, and economic relief for Georgia families.

Warnock’s policy platform emphasizes social justice and economic equity. In healthcare, he is a vocal advocate for the Affordable Care Act, Medicaid expansion, and lowering prescription drug costs, specifically championing caps on the price of insulin. His economic positions include support for student loan forgiveness, raising the federal minimum wage, and investing in infrastructure and green energy to create jobs. On immigration, he supports comprehensive reform that includes a pathway to citizenship for 'Dreamers' and permanent residency for Temporary Protected Status (TPS) holders. Warnock is also a staunch supporter of voting rights legislation, such as the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act, and advocates for criminal justice reform to address mass incarceration. Regarding the environment, he supports federal action to combat climate change and transition to a clean energy economy.