Warnock, Raphael G. (Raphael Gamaliel), 1969-

WARNOCK, Raphael Gamaliel, a Senator from Georgia; born in Savannah, Ga., July 23, 1969; graduated Sol C. Johnson High School, Savannah, Ga., 1987; B.A., psychology, Morehouse College, 1991; M.Div., M.Phil., and Ph.D., Union Theological Seminary, New York, N.Y.; Baptist pastor; elected as a Democrat to the United States Senate in the January 5, 2021, special election runoff for the term ending January 3, 2023, to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of Johnny Isakson, a seat previously held by appointed Senator Kelly Loeffler, and took the oath of office on January 20, 2021.

<p>Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock grew up in Kayton Homes public housing in Savannah, born one of twelve brothers and sisters raised in coastal Georgia. His father, a veteran, small businessman, and preacher, grew up in Burke and Screven County, GA. Senator Reverend Warnock’s mother grew up in Waycross, GA, where she spent summers picking tobacco and cotton. A graduate of Savannah’s Sol C. Johnson High School, Senator Raphael Warnock’s mother and extended family still lives in the Savannah area.</p>

<p>Senator Warnock is a proud graduate of Morehouse College; after graduating from Morehouse, he went onto earn a PhD and begin his career ordained in the ministry. For over 15 years, Senator Warnock has served as Senior Pastor at Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta, the former pulpit of Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. He is the youngest pastor selected to serve in that leadership role at the historic church.</p>

<p>Senator Warnock was elected as a Democrat to the United States Senate in the January 5, 2021, special election runoff for the term ending January 3, 2023, to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of Johnny Isakson, a seat previously held by appointed Senator Kelly Loeffler. He took the oath of office on January 20, 2021.</p>

<p>Raphael Gamaliel Warnock (born July 23, 1969) is an American pastor and politician serving as the junior United States senator from Georgia since 2021. A member of the Democratic Party, he assumed office on January 20, 2021.</p>

<p>Warnock was the senior pastor of Douglas Memorial Community Church until 2005, when he became senior pastor of Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta. He came to prominence in Georgia politics as a leading activist in the campaign to expand Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act. Warnock defeated incumbent Kelly Loeffler in the runoff in Georgia's 2020–21 United States Senate special election on January 5, 2021. The same day, fellow Democrat Jon Ossoff won the runoff for Georgia's other Senate seat against Republican David Perdue.</p>

<p>Warnock and Ossoff are the first Democrats elected to the U.S. Senate from Georgia since Zell Miller in 2000. Warnock is the first African American to represent Georgia in the Senate and the first African-American Democrat elected to a Senate seat by a former state of the Confederacy.</p>