Warnock says he has seen the struggles of everyday Americans

Published 8:00 am Saturday, October 29, 2022

U.S. Sen. Raphael Warnock, D-Georgia, said Friday in Dalton one of the things he has learned as a pastor is “you can’t lead the people unless you love the people.”

“And you can’t really love the people unless you know the people, and the way to know the people is to spend some time with the people,” said Warnock, who is senior pastor of the historic Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta.

Supporters and media packed the pavilion at the Mack Gaston Community Center where Warnock spoke.

“As a pastor, I’ve seen the struggles that folks have,” Warnock said.

He said that is what has led him over the years to fight to expand Medicaid and access to healthcare. As a senator, he has introduced legislation that would cap the cost of insulin, the drug used to treat diabetes, at $35 a month, which he said would benefit more than one million Georgians.

“I’ve been focused on these issues long before I ran for office,” said Warnock.

He sought to contrast that with his Republican Party opponent in the Nov. 8 general election, businessman and former NFL player Herschel Walker.

“The truth is he really hasn’t spent his life being much bothered by these things,” Warnock said. “Be honest, he hasn’t spent much time thinking about these issues.”

Warnock defeated then-incumbent Republican Kelly Loeffler in a special election runoff in 2021 to fill the remainder of the term of Johnny Isakson, who had stepped down for health reasons. Gov. Brian Kemp named Loeffler to fill that seat until a special election could be held. November’s election is for a full six-year term.

Warnock noted Dalton has long been known as the Carpet Capital of the World. He said it is now known as the location of the largest domestic producer of solar modules, Hanwha Qcells.

“It has been my honor to work with you and try to incentivize that,” he said. “I was a co-sponsor of the Solar Manufacturing in America Act, which we passed in the Inflation Reduction Act.”

The crowd also heard from Marcus Flowers, the Democratic Party nominee in Georgia’s 14th Congressional District, which includes Whitfield and Murray counties. He is challenging incumbent U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Rome, in the Nov. 8 election. Flowers, a U.S. Army veteran, said he was led to run for office by the Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol.

Saying America has entered a “dark time,” Flowers said he hopes to be able to help unite Americans. Noting that early voting is underway and will continue until Friday, Nov. 4, Warnock urged his supporters to not wait until Election Day but to vote early and to encourage their friends and family to vote early.

He said if people wait they may have a family emergency or something else arise on Election Day that would keep them from voting.

He later told reporters that voters and candidates need to start thinking of “election season,” not Election Day.