While the events in Washington D.C. and across the country in the middle of this week have understandably overshadowed the results of the Georgia runoff elections, the role WNBA players in swinging both races blue cannot be ignored following the victories of Rev. Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff against their Republican opponents, giving the Democrats control of the House, Senate and presidency for the next two years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
WNBA players’ actions likely helped Ossoff, but they especially and explicitly helped Warnock, campaigning for him and against Atlanta Dream part-owner Kelly Loeffler. All summer and fall, countless WNBA players wore shirts with “VOTE WARNOCK” written across them and were outspoken against Loeffler, who criticized the Black Lives Matter movement on multiple occasions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“Holy shit, we just flipped a Senate seat!” New York Liberty’s Layshia Clarendon told Dave Zirin of The Nation<\/a>. “Not only did we oust Loeffler but we helped a progressive candidate we truly believe in win. That is something I want to be clear about in our intention as a league – this wasn’t simply a targeting of an owner for one comment, but an organizing around maintaining our values as members of the WNBA. I’m feeling like the power of collective action from athletes is just not starting to scratch the surface – the country better get ready.”<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n