Georgia

Subterms

    More stories

    • 138 Shares99 Views

      in Elections

      In Georgia, Could a Football Win Help Walker Win as Well?

      by

      ATHENS, Ga. — Herschel Walker’s Senate campaign has had several tailwinds working for it this year: President Biden’s unpopularity and steady inflation top the list.And the Georgia Bulldogs aren’t hurting his cause, either. Even serious political analysts acknowledge that the Bulldogs’ strong season — they are undefeated in the powerful S.E.C. so far — may be helping Mr. Walker in his Senate race against Senator Raphael Warnock, by lifting spirits and stirring up nostalgia just in time for the most famous Bulldog ever to ask for votes.The connection was undeniable on Saturday, when Mr. Walker was the biggest star not in uniform on the day of the biggest college football game of the year, where Georgia beat the University of Tennessee, 27-13. Tammy Mitchell remembers being about 10 years old when she saw Mr. Walker, then a powerful young running back, lead the University of Georgia Bulldogs to a national championship in 1980.On Saturday, she had both football and politics on her mind as she attended a rally for more than 100 Georgia Republicans and Walker supporters, decked out in red and black Bulldogs paraphernalia, some with their faces painted, as they held signs supporting Mr. Walker’s candidacy for the Senate.“It’s very surreal,” she said. “I never thought as a little girl that years later this would be happening or he would even be running for Senate.” Ms. Mitchell stood next to her husband in a line to meet and take photos with Mr. Walker. She was counting on a win for his team and for Republicans on Tuesday, saying the former could help the latter.“I think it’s a sign,” she said.Tammy and Harrison Mitchell at a rally for Mr. Walker in Athens on Saturday.Nicole Buchanan for The New York TimesMr. Walker with his teammates after they won the National Championship in 1981, defeating Notre Dame in the Sugar Bowl.Focus on Sport/Getty ImagesPeople see signs where they want to, but on this Saturday political vapors as well as football emanated from Athens. And if it was a bit of a stretch to say that control of the Senate and one of the biggest prizes in the midterms could come down to whether Mr. Walker’s team won again, some saw a convergence of sorts in the football game and the statistically tied race between Mr. Walker and Mr. Warnock.Neil Malhotra, a professor of political economy at Stanford University, who has studied the ties between sports and politics, didn’t think the outcome of Saturday’s football game would mean more to voters than inflation and crime.The State of the 2022 Midterm ElectionsElection Day is Tuesday, Nov. 8.House Democrats: Several moderates elected in 2018 in conservative-leaning districts are at risk of being swept out. That could cost the Democrats their House majority.A Key Constituency: A caricature of the suburban female voter looms large in American politics. But in battleground regions, many voters don’t fit the stereotype.Crime: In the final stretch of the campaigns, politicians are vowing to crack down on crime. But the offices they are running for generally have little power to make a difference.Abortion: The fall of Roe v. Wade seemed to offer Democrats a way of energizing voters and holding ground. Now, many worry that focusing on abortion won’t be enough to carry them to victory.But, he said, “emotional stuff” could be meaningful in such a tight race.“His whole candidacy seems to be specifically based on the fact that he’s a football star,” he said.Mr. Walker, whose campaign has had to navigate a slew of stumbles that had nothing to do with football, did not attend Saturday’s football game, according to his campaign aides. But he has made football — and his own legacy in the sport — a large part of his message on the stump. From his earliest events, many attendees have been die-hard conservatives or University of Georgia fans who remember when he led the team to victory. His stump speeches are a combination of loose political talking points and sports analogies. And at his Saturday rally, sporting a University of Georgia polo, Mr. Walker opened his stump speech with a nod to his alma mater before diving into a diatribe against Mr. Warnock — and making a prediction of his own.“Just like the Dawgs are going to win today, that’s what’s going to happen on Tuesday,” Mr. Walker said to cheers.The crowd at Saturday’s rally was thinner than at Mr. Walker’s prior events. Less than a half-mile away, ESPN’s College GameDay program hosted a live broadcast that attracted hundreds of fans.David Hancock, a 70-year-old Georgia fan, said he was in Athens for two reasons: to “see the Dawgs hopefully beat Tennessee and to see Herschel Walker’s speech.” Mr. Hancock said he planned to support the entire Republican ticket on Tuesday. He brushed off concerns that Mr. Walker’s lack of political experience could be detrimental to him if he won. Instead, he pointed to words from an advertisement that Vince Dooley, the former University of Georgia football coach, cut for Mr. Walker before he died in late October, underlining his former player’s approach to athletics.“He’s driven,” Mr. Hancock said. “If he falls down, he gets up and he goes forward. That’s what he’s done in this life.”Mr. Warnock made the best of things. In one ad for Mr. Warnock released during the game, three Georgia graduates conveyed their reverence for Mr. Walker’s accomplishments as a college football star, but said that was where it stopped. One was wearing a jersey with Mr. Walker’s No. 34, and another displayed a football autographed by him.“I’ve always thought Herschel Walker looked perfect up there,” said a man identified in the ad as Clay Bryant, a 1967 Georgia graduate, pointing to newspaper clippings of Mr. Walker on a wall in his home. “I think he looks good here,” another graduate said, gesturing to her jersey. “I think he looks great there,” the third one said, sitting next to the football and a copy of Sports Illustrated with Mr. Walker on the cover. “But Herschel Walker in the U.S. Senate?” the three asked critically in unison.Neil Vigdor contributed reporting.Senator Lindsey Graham, left, campaigned with Herschel Walker in Cumming, Ga., in October.Nicole Craine for The New York Times More

    • 150 Shares199 Views

      in Elections

      Walker and Warnock Spend Big on TV Ads as Georgia Football Wins

      by

      Nothing quite holds an audience captive like a clash of undefeated college football behemoths. Senator Raphael Warnock and Herschel Walker didn’t need reminding of that on Saturday.Neither candidate in Georgia’s pivotal Senate race blinked at the $50,000 cost of a 30-second campaign ad during Saturday’s game between the top-ranked University of Tennessee and the third-ranked University of Georgia, according filings with the Federal Communications Commission.Each of them booked two ads on Atlanta’s CBS affiliate, with the National Republican Senatorial Committee listed as sharing some of the cost of one of the ads supporting Mr. Walker.On CBS in Atlanta, a 30-second ad during the pregame show or on Friday night prime time cost $5,000; it was a thrifty $75 during the station’s “Wake Up Atlanta” show in the 5 to 5:30 a.m. time slot on weekdays.Mr. Walker won the Heisman Trophy in the 1980s when he starred for the Georgia Bulldogs, which are the defending national champions in college football. Georgia beat Tennessee, 27-13.The State of the 2022 Midterm ElectionsElection Day is Tuesday, Nov. 8.House Democrats: Several moderates elected in 2018 in conservative-leaning districts are at risk of being swept out. That could cost the Democrats their House majority.A Key Constituency: A caricature of the suburban female voter looms large in American politics. But in battleground regions, many voters don’t fit the stereotype.Crime: In the final stretch of the campaigns, politicians are vowing to crack down on crime. But the offices they are running for generally have little power to make a difference.Abortion: The fall of Roe v. Wade seemed to offer Democrats a way of energizing voters and holding ground. Now, many worry that focusing on abortion won’t be enough to carry them to victory.In one ad for Mr. Warnock that he highlighted on Twitter during the game, three Georgia graduates conveyed their reverence for Mr. Walker’s accomplishments as a college football star, but said that was where the praise ended. One was wearing a jersey with Mr. Walker’s No. 34 and another displayed a football autographed by him.“I’ve always thought Herschel Walker looked perfect up there,” said a man identified in the ad as Clay Bryant, a 1967 graduate, pointing to photos of Mr. Walker on a wall in his home.“I think he looks good here,” another graduate said, gesturing to her jersey.“I think he looks great there,” the third one said, sitting next to the football and a copy of Sports Illustrated with Mr. Walker on the cover.“But Herschel Walker in the U.S. Senate?” the three asked critically in unison.On social media, college football fans groused about being bombarded with attack ads run by the candidates and groups aligned with them, including dueling commercials that lobbed domestic abuse allegations at Mr. Walker and Mr. Warnock.Senator Lindsey Graham, left, campaigned with Herschel Walker in Cumming, Ga., in October.Nicole Craine for The New York TimesMr. Walker has been roiled by accusations that he urged two women to have abortions, despite campaigning as a conservative who opposes the procedure.On the CBS affiliate in Savannah, Ga., Mr. Walker booked a 30-second ad during the game for $35,000, while Mr. Warnock reserved a 30-second block for $15,000. Advertising rates are typically higher for coordinated efforts between parties and candidates than for candidates on their own.On the CBS affiliate in Augusta, Ga., Mr. Walker reserved a pair of 30-second ads during the game for $25,890, with the N.R.S.C. listed as helping to pay for one, according to federal filings. Mr. Warnock bought ads on the same station, but not during the game.Mr. Warnock and Mr. Walker, who is backed by former President Donald J. Trump, were not the only bitter rivals in a close Senate race who invested heavily this week advertising around sporting events.In Pennsylvania’s open-seat contest, the celebrity physician Dr. Mehmet Oz, a Republican, and Lt. Gov. John Fetterman, the Democratic candidate, spent six figures to run campaign ads during the World Series featuring the Philadelphia Phillies and the Houston Astros.Both candidates booked multiple ads on Fox’s Philadelphia affiliate at a rate of $95,000 for 30 seconds, according to federal filings. Mr. Fetterman also reserved 30 seconds of airtime during Thursday night’s National Football League game between the Philadelphia Eagles and the Houston Texans. More

    • 113 Shares149 Views

      in Elections

      What Happened on Georgia’s Last Day of Early Voting

      by

      Clockwise from top left, Athens, Ga.; the Buckhead neighborhood of Atlanta; the Bessie Branham Recreation Center in Atlanta; Decatur, Ga.Audra Melton for The New York Times, Nicole Craine for The New York TimesATLANTA — Georgia’s last day of early voting was arguably the busiest of the state’s entire election season, marked not only by a high volume of voters at the polls but also by a surprise endorsement and a major retirement.The endorsement was for Gov. Brian Kemp, a Republican, and the surprise was that it came from a Democrat: Kwanza Hall, a well-known former congressman in the state who ran unsuccessfully for lieutenant governor earlier this year.The announcement alarmed and frustrated many Georgia Democrats who saw the move as a swipe at Stacey Abrams, the party’s nominee for governor who endorsed Mr. Hall’s opponent Charlie Bailey during the Democratic primary. Mr. Bailey later defeated Mr. Hall in a runoff election.“While we don’t agree on every issue, it’s abundantly clear that Brian Kemp is a man of character, a strong leader, and someone who Georgians can trust to put them and their interests first,” Mr. Hall said in a statement. “Governor Kemp’s door has always been open to those who have Georgia’s best interests at heart, regardless of politics, and that’s why I’m proud to support him in his bid for re-election.”He also threw his support behind Burt Jones, the Republican nominee for lieutenant governor.Mr. Hall’s endorsement of Mr. Kemp, some Democrats argued, could interfere with their efforts to stoke enthusiasm among the party’s base of Black voters that Democrats need to turn out en masse in order to win on Tuesday.“It could very well solidify this narrative that’s been circulated the last few months about Black men feeling disenfranchised by Democrats,” said Derrick Jackson, an Atlanta-area state representative and vice chair of the state house legislative Black caucus, who pointed to the hundreds of thousands of voters who cast ballots for Mr. Hall, who is Black, during the Democratic primary election in May. “That’s a lot of folks that he can very well have persuaded to say, let me take a second look at Governor Kemp and Burt Jones now.”The news didn’t stop there. Later in the morning, David Ralston, the Republican speaker of the State House, said that he would not pursue another term of his speakership during the upcoming legislative session of Georgia’s House of Representatives, citing his need to address a health challenge. He is running unopposed for his house seat and said he would remain in that post.Mr. Ralston is widely regarded as one of Georgia’s most powerful Republican leaders and a voice of moderation in the General Assembly, where his party has the majority in both chambers. His absence could pave the way for further restrictions on abortion or tighter election oversight measures — items he once signaled his resistance to.The two developments injected even more nervous energy into the final days of an election season that has long put Georgia Democrats ill at ease.And Friday was yet another record-breaking day of early voting turnout, as long lines at polling places around Atlanta stretched well into the evening. By the day’s end, more than 200,000 voters had cast ballots in Georgia, bringing the statewide total to more than 2 million, according to the secretary of state’s office. More

    • 125 Shares129 Views

      in US Politics

      Georgia fights for democracy – Politics Weekly America Midterms Special

      by

      More ways to listen

      Apple Podcasts

      Google Podcasts

      Spotify

      RSS Feed

      Download

      Share on Facebook

      Share on Twitter

      Share via Email

      Jonathan Freedland travels around the state of Georgia, a state that gave Democrats the Senate at the start of 2021. He follows Stacey Abrams and Herschel Walker, talking to their voters along the way. He also sits down with the co-founder of Black Voters Matter, LaTosha Brown, about why this election is about more than any one candidate

      How to listen to podcasts: everything you need to know

      Subscribe to the Guardian’s new pop culture podcast, which launches on Thursday 3 November Send your questions and feedback to podcasts@theguardian.com Help support the Guardian by going to theguardian.com/supportpodcasts More

    • 150 Shares119 Views

      in Elections

      Mike Pence Visits Georgia as Gov. Brian Kemp Plays Up Early Turnout

      by

      CUMMING, Ga. — Gov. Brian Kemp of Georgia, flanked by former Vice President Mike Pence and several fellow state Republican candidates, stressed the importance of voter turnout Tuesday in a campaign swing through Atlanta’s northern suburbs.With a week to go until Election Day, Mr. Pence ticked through a list of Mr. Kemp’s conservative policy achievements on crime and abortion, and underscored the role that Georgia — where Democrats have made significant inroads over the last four years — will play in national politics.“We need Georgia to lead the way to a great American comeback by re-electing Gov. Brian Kemp,” Mr. Pence told a crowd of supporters at a rally near the town square in Cumming, about 30 miles northeast of Atlanta.Their joint appearance came during the final four days of early voting in Georgia. Mr. Kemp is leading his Democratic opponent, Stacey Abrams, in most polls but implored his supporters to ignore those numbers and turn out. He noted that the party had trailed Democrats in the size and scale of its field operations in recent elections — and that his campaign had helped finance a renewed effort for the 2022 midterms.He pointed to Georgia’s record early vote turnout numbers as proof of the success of that operation — and to rebut complaints from Democratic leaders and voting rights advocates who say the state’s new voting law is suppressive because of its tighter restrictions on ballot drop boxes, voting schedules and absentee ballots, among other provisions.Ms. Abrams has said repeatedly that high turnout numbers do not negate potential voter suppression, an idea that Mr. Kemp called “fuzzy Washington, D.C., math.”“We’re seeing record turnout,” he said. “I would encourage people to go vote and vote for somebody that has been truthful with you.”Mr. Pence, who also campaigned alongside Mr. Kemp last spring as the incumbent fended off a primary challenge from a candidate backed by former President Donald J. Trump, is one of several high-profile Republicans steering clear of Mr. Trump who will visit Georgia on Mr. Kemp’s behalf in the coming days. Gov. Doug Ducey of Arizona will campaign alongside Mr. Kemp on Wednesday and Chris Christie, the former New Jersey governor, will join the bus tour on Thursday and Friday. More

    • 138 Shares189 Views

      in US Politics

      Georgia governor debate: Kemp silent on question over harsher abortion restrictions

      by

      Georgia governor debate: Kemp silent on question over harsher abortion restrictionsRepublican Brian Kemp and Democratic challenger Stacey Abrams spar in final gubernatorial debate before midterms In the final televised debate with Democratic challenger Stacey Abrams before their November election, Georgia’s governor, Brian Kemp, refused to say whether he would support harsher abortion restrictions if re-elected to a second term and if fellow Republicans dominating the state legislature sent them to his desk.Utah: can an ex-CIA independent oust an incumbent Republican senator?Read moreAt WSB-TV’s Channel 2 Action debate Sunday, Kemp, a Republican, said it was not his “desire to go move the needle any further” on abortion restrictions in Georgia, adding that he would look into additional restrictions passed by state lawmakers “when the time comes”. Kemp at a previous debate had said he “would not” support new abortion limits.The Sunday night debate heightened an already contentious rematch over the governorship. Kemp narrowly defeated Abrams in 2018, and polling shows he holds a lead over Abrams more than a week before the election. Abrams sought to draw a stark contrast with Kemp over the issues of guns, the economy, crime and voting restrictions.“Under Brian Kemp’s four years as governor, crime has gone up, hospitals have closed and communities are in turmoil,” Abrams said in her closing arguments.The state already effectively bars most abortions after Kemp signed an abortion law in 2019 that prohibits the procedure six weeks into a pregnancy. The law went into effect after the US supreme court in June overturned abortion rights nationwide, established nearly 50 years earlier by Roe v Wade.A trial has recently begun over whether the state’s imposition of the 2019 law is constitutional.“Let’s be clear, he did not say he wouldn’t,” Abrams said in response to Kemp’s remarks Sunday. She tied Kemp to Georgia US Senate candidate Herschel Walker, who is accused by two women of pressuring them to have an abortion, even though Walker has stated he is staunchly opposed to the termination of pregnancies. Walker denies the allegations.“He refuses to protect us. He refuses to defend us,” Abrams said of Kemp. “And yet he defended Herschel Walker, saying that he didn’t want to be involved in the personal life of his running mate.”By contrast, Abrams supported legal abortions before the point of “viability”, noting that the decision should be made “between a doctor and a woman – as a medical choice.” Kemp contended that Abrams’ stance shifted on whether she would support new restrictions brought to her.“It is willful ignorance or misleading lies that change what I’ve said,” Abrams said. “But what I’ve also always said is that there should not be arbitrary timelines set by men who do not understand biology.”TopicsGeorgiaUS politicsStacey AbramsUS midterm elections 2022RepublicansDemocratsnewsReuse this content More

    • 113 Shares199 Views

      in Elections

      Senate Control Hinges on Neck-and-Neck Races, Times/Siena Poll Finds

      by

      The contests are close in Arizona, Georgia, Nevada and Pennsylvania. Many voters want Republicans to flip the Senate, but prefer the Democrat in their state.Control of the Senate rests on a knife’s edge, according to new polls by The New York Times and Siena College, with Republican challengers in Nevada and Georgia neck-and-neck with Democratic incumbents, and the Democratic candidate in Pennsylvania clinging to what appears to be a tenuous advantage.The bright spot for Democrats in the four key states polled was in Arizona, where Senator Mark Kelly is holding a small but steady lead over his Republican challenger, Blake Masters.The results indicate a deeply volatile and unpredictable Senate contest: More people across three of the states surveyed said they wanted Republicans to gain control of the Senate, but they preferred the individual Democratic candidates in their states — a sign that Republicans may be hampered by the shortcomings of their nominees.Midterm elections are typically referendums on the party in power, and Democrats must defy decades of that political history to win control of the Senate, an outcome that has not completely slipped out of the party’s grasp according to the findings of the Times/Siena surveys. Democrats control the 50-50 Senate with Vice President Kamala Harris as the tiebreaking vote. To gain the majority, Republicans need to gain just one seat.Senate Races in Four StatesIf this November’s election for U.S. Senate were held today, which candidate would you be more likely to vote for? More

    • 125 Shares99 Views

      in Elections

      Senator Raphael Warnock Mixes Politics and Preaching on Campaign Trail

      by

      ATLANTA — Raphael Warnock, the Democrat fighting for a full term in the Senate, has three jobs these days: candidate, senator and pastor.On Sunday in Atlanta, he was working double time. First, he delivered a sermon at Ebenezer Baptist Church, where he serves as senior pastor, preaching to his parishioners from the book of Acts and delivering a message about both the healing powers of God and the dangers of power-hungry politicians.Then, at a sanctuary 15 minutes away, with his campaign bus parked out front, he spoke at a Souls to the Polls event, encouraging supporters to vote immediately after church.Mr. Warnock both preaches and talks politics on the campaign trail, where he invokes Scripture and calls voting “a kind of prayer” before calling for Medicaid expansion and levying thinly veiled criticisms against his Republican opponent, Herschel Walker. His closing message is the same on the stump as it is in the pulpit: “Keep the faith and keep looking up.”On Saturday Mr. Warnock addressed a group of canvassers before they knocked on doors around the Atlanta suburb of Douglasville: “I’m not a senator who used to be a pastor. You might as well know that you sent a pastor to the Senate.”He has made blending the religious and the political a cornerstone of his campaign to highlight his belief in the need for social and political renewal. Speaking to an electorate and church community that have taken an increasingly pessimistic view of politics, he also underlines his belief that change in both arenas is still possible.This approach has invited outsized support and scrutiny for both his candidacy and his church, where the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. once presided.At his church: Mr. Warnock preaching at Ebenezer Baptist in 2018.Kevin D. Liles for The New York TimesMr. Warnock has maintained a consistent presence at Ebenezer while in the Senate. He still presides over most Sunday services, although he has invited several guest preachers in recent weeks as Election Day nears.He was back in the pulpit on Sunday, however, with Scripture-specific anecdotes as well as calls for Medicaid expansion and turning out to vote.The State of the 2022 Midterm ElectionsElection Day is Tuesday, Nov. 8.Governor’s Races: Democrats and Republicans are heading into the final stretch of more than a dozen competitive contests for governor. Some battleground races could also determine who controls the Senate.Biden’s Agenda at Risk: If Republicans capture one or both chambers of Congress, the president’s opportunities on several issues will shrink. Here are some major areas where the two sides would clash.Ohio Senate Race: Polls show Representative Tim Ryan competing within the margin of error against his G.O.P. opponent, J.D. Vance. Mr. Ryan said the race would be “the upset of the night,” but there is still a cold reality tilting against Democrats.“Something happens when people find their voice,” he told the congregation, imploring them not to “mute your own voice.”.css-1v2n82w{max-width:600px;width:calc(100% – 40px);margin-top:20px;margin-bottom:25px;height:auto;margin-left:auto;margin-right:auto;font-family:nyt-franklin;color:var(–color-content-secondary,#363636);}@media only screen and (max-width:480px){.css-1v2n82w{margin-left:20px;margin-right:20px;}}@media only screen and (min-width:1024px){.css-1v2n82w{width:600px;}}.css-161d8zr{width:40px;margin-bottom:18px;text-align:left;margin-left:0;color:var(–color-content-primary,#121212);border:1px solid var(–color-content-primary,#121212);}@media only screen and (max-width:480px){.css-161d8zr{width:30px;margin-bottom:15px;}}.css-tjtq43{line-height:25px;}@media only screen and (max-width:480px){.css-tjtq43{line-height:24px;}}.css-x1k33h{font-family:nyt-cheltenham;font-size:19px;font-weight:700;line-height:25px;}.css-1hvpcve{font-size:17px;font-weight:300;line-height:25px;}.css-1hvpcve em{font-style:italic;}.css-1hvpcve strong{font-weight:bold;}.css-1hvpcve a{font-weight:500;color:var(–color-content-secondary,#363636);}.css-1c013uz{margin-top:18px;margin-bottom:22px;}@media only screen and (max-width:480px){.css-1c013uz{font-size:14px;margin-top:15px;margin-bottom:20px;}}.css-1c013uz a{color:var(–color-signal-editorial,#326891);-webkit-text-decoration:underline;text-decoration:underline;font-weight:500;font-size:16px;}@media only screen and (max-width:480px){.css-1c013uz a{font-size:13px;}}.css-1c013uz a:hover{-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;}How Times reporters cover politics. We rely on our journalists to be independent observers. So while Times staff members may vote, they are not allowed to endorse or campaign for candidates or political causes. This includes participating in marches or rallies in support of a movement or giving money to, or raising money for, any political candidate or election cause.Learn more about our process.“I thank God for this record voter turnout, but don’t you let up,” he added, to a standing ovation.Ebenezer Baptist, in Atlanta’s historically Black Sweet Auburn neighborhood, practices a prophetic faith tradition not unlike many Black churches, calling on its members to challenge oppressive systems and be of service to marginalized groups. The church’s national profile, though, is unmistakable: Large groups of tourists sit in the pews alongside regular churchgoers, thousands watch its services via livestream, and outside its doors anti-abortion protesters hold signs criticizing Mr. Warnock’s support for abortion access.Mr. Warnock has been senior pastor at Ebenezer since 2005 and committed to maintaining the post from the earliest days of his 2020 special election campaign. Though he embraces politics from the pulpit and makes frequent mention of his home church on the trail, his Senate and campaign aides say that his function as a pastor operates entirely separate from his political roles.Mr. Warnock has described himself as a “Christian progressive” in the mold of Dr. King. Republicans have seized on that posture, criticizing in particular his views on abortion, policing and the role of race and racism in American life.Warnock supporters at the College Park rally, held with former President Barack Obama.Gabriela Bhaskar for The New York TimesIn 2020, his Republican opponent, Kelly Loeffler, repeatedly called him a “radical” and used footage of his old sermons to paint him as a dangerous candidate. Black church leaders across the state quickly condemned the move, calling it offensive and an attack on Black church traditions.This year, Republicans have zeroed in on Mr. Warnock’s professional relationship to Ebenezer by using the $7,400 monthly housing allowance he receives from the church to paint him as a self-serving politician. And Mr. Walker has also claimed that Mr. Warnock’s church had a direct hand in evicting residents with low outstanding balances at an apartment complex near downtown Atlanta that houses low-income, disabled and mentally ill residents. The building, Columbia Tower at Martin Luther King Village, is owned by MLK Village Corporation, a for-profit company with ties to Ebenezer.No evictions have taken place at the building since 2020, according to representatives for Columbia Residential. In a statement, they described “certain circumstances” that would require the building to file a notice to a resident who has overdue rent, a process they said rarely results in eviction and removal of the resident.“Columbia’s team works with residents through a variety of mechanisms to provide help with past due rent, as evidenced by more than $2.7 million dollars of rental assistance we have helped to secure for residents in Atlanta during the pandemic,” a representative for Columbia Residential said in a statement.Derrick Harkins, director of the Center for Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships at the Department of Housing and Urban Development, said the characterization of Ebenezer as having a direct hand in the eviction notices is “just not correct.”“He is certainly not overseeing the operational elements of a property that is part of the larger portfolio that’s under the umbrella of what Ebenezer has put together,” Mr. Harkins said of Mr. Warnock. On the campaign trail, Mr. Warnock has responded more directly to criticism of his mixing of faith and politics. On Saturday, after a canvasser asked about such criticisms, he said he wasn’t worried about them.“That puts me in good company,” he said. “That’s what they did to Dr. King. They challenged his Christian identity. They challenged his pastoral vocation.”Mr. Warnock has maintained a consistent presence at Ebenezer while in the Senate and on the campaign trail.Gabriela Bhaskar/The New York Times More