WNBA players have found themselves united against one of the league’s owners in recent weeks. Kelly Loeffler, a part-owner of the Atlanta Dream and a United States Senator from the state of Georgia, has openly challenged the league and its players as they have embraced the Black Lives Matter movement. In an attempt to stir up support among conservative voters in the state of Georgia, Loeffler, who is white, has mischaracterized Black Lives Matter’s motives, and despite the fact that the team’s players have vocally opposed her and the Players Association wants her out, the league will not force Loeffler to sell her stake in Dream Too LLC.
Loeffler is, however, fighting for her seat in the Senate — she was appointed to the seat previously held by Johnny Isakson earlier this year ahead of an election. With players unable to get Loeffler out of the league, their focus has turned on boosting one of her opponents, Reverend Raphael Warnock, before Georgians vote later this year.
Members of the Chicago Sky, Phoenix Mercury and the Dream wore shirts to their respective games on Tuesday evening in the Wubble that read “VOTE WARNOCK.”
Don’t boo…VOTE
Register to vote at https://t.co/zXnPqmFZQ7 #Vote2020 pic.twitter.com/4yMmEqgXMS
— Chicago Sky (@chicagosky) August 4, 2020
Clocked in. Locked in.#4TheValley pic.twitter.com/DiHJ3oGN8Q
— Phoenix Mercury (@PhoenixMercury) August 4, 2020
The visitors today
#4TheValley pic.twitter.com/dqTNlO6p2w
— Phoenix Mercury (@PhoenixMercury) August 4, 2020
— Phoenix Mercury (@PhoenixMercury) August 4, 2020
Both the @AtlantaDream and @PhoenixMercury players arrived wearing “VOTE WARNOCK” shirts to their game tonight. For more here is story from @ramonashelburne https://t.co/th5gtsfEtv pic.twitter.com/2oLdvn3kyJ
— Holly Rowe (@sportsiren) August 4, 2020
According to ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne, the idea came from Sue Bird of the Seattle Storm, who expects a number of players to wear the shirts.
Seattle’s @S10Bird came up with the idea. She told ESPN that participation was voluntary for all players but she expected a lot of players will do so today and tomorrow.
— Ramona Shelburne (@ramonashelburne) August 4, 2020
“I’m not some political strategist, but what I do know is that voting is important,” Bird said. “So, what a great way for us to get the word out about this man, and hopefully put him in Senate. And, if he’s in Senate, you know who’s not. And I’ll just leave it at that.”
— Ramona Shelburne (@ramonashelburne) August 4, 2020
Warnock is one of several challengers looking to take down Loeffler. Due to the lack of a primary, everyone seeking this seat is on the ballot, and according to the most recent poll by Monmouth, Loeffler leads the field with 26 percent of the vote. Warnock is in fourth with nine percent, although he has received publicity in recent weeks due to a wave of endorsements, strong fundraising numbers, and his eulogy at the funeral for recently-departed United States Representative and Civil Rights icon John Lewis.