Biography
Raphael Gamaliel Warnock, born on July 23, 1969, in Savannah, Georgia, is a Democratic U.S. Senator representing Georgia. He was raised as the eleventh of twelve children in a family deeply rooted in faith; both his parents were Pentecostal pastors. His father, a World War II veteran, operated a small car restoration business, while his mother worked in the cotton and tobacco fields of South Georgia during her youth.
Warnock's early life in the Kayton Homes housing projects instilled in him values of resilience and purpose. He aspired to follow in the footsteps of Martin Luther King Jr., which led him to Morehouse College, where he graduated cum laude in 1991 with a Bachelor of Arts in psychology. He furthered his education at Union Theological Seminary in New York City, earning Master of Divinity, Master of Philosophy, and Doctor of Philosophy degrees.
In 2005, at the age of 35, Warnock became the senior pastor of Atlanta's historic Ebenezer Baptist Church, the former pulpit of Martin Luther King Jr. His leadership at Ebenezer brought him into the national spotlight, particularly through his activism in expanding Medicaid in Georgia under the Affordable Care Act.
Warnock entered politics in 2020, running in the special election for the U.S. Senate seat held by Kelly Loeffler. He won the runoff election on January 5, 2021, becoming the first African American to represent Georgia in the Senate and the first Black Democrat elected to the Senate from a Southern state.
As a senator, Warnock has focused on issues such as healthcare reform, voting rights, and economic equity. He played a pivotal role in passing legislation to cap insulin costs for Medicare patients and has been an advocate for expanding Medicaid in Georgia. In 2022, he was re-elected to a full six-year term after defeating Republican challenger Herschel Walker in a runoff election.
Education and Political Experience
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Education:
- Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Morehouse College
- Master of Divinity from Union Theological Seminary
- Master of Philosophy from Union Theological Seminary
- Doctor of Philosophy from Union Theological Seminary
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Political Experience:
- Senior Pastor at Ebenezer Baptist Church, Atlanta
- Elected to the U.S. Senate representing Georgia
- Member of Senate committees including Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry; Commerce, Science, and Transportation; and Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs
- Advocate for healthcare reform, including capping insulin costs and expanding Medicaid
- Proponent of voting rights legislation and economic equity initiatives
Warnock's journey from the housing projects of Savannah to the U.S. Senate underscores his commitment to public service and social justice, reflecting the values instilled in him from a young age.
