Georgia Democratic Sen. Raphael Warnock came under criticism from pro-life supporters following his remarks supporting abortion, including from former Super Bowl-winning NFL coach Tony Dungy.
Dungy, the first black NFL coach to win a Super Bowl when he led the Indianapolis Colts, questioned Warnock’s label as a “pro-choice pastor.”
“It all comes down to what you believe about the organism growing inside the mother. Is it a life or not? If it is just growing tissue then your ‘choice’ makes sense. If it’s a life then it’s obviously not OK to choose to end it. What does your Bible tell you it is? Psalm 139:16,” Dungy wrote on Twitter Tuesday morning.
It all comes down to what you believe about the organism growing inside the mother. Is it a life or not? If it is just growing tissue then your “choice” makes sense. If it’s a life then it’s obviously not OK to choose to end it. What does your Bible tell you it is? Psalm 139:16 https://t.co/E7dCk6NMmL
— Tony Dungy (@TonyDungy) May 3, 2022
Dungy’s comments were in response to Warnock’s statement on Monday evening following the reported leak of the Supreme Court’s opinion regarding a Mississippi pro-life case that could overturn the landmark 1973 Roe v. Wade ruling and return decisions regarding abortion laws to individual states.
“As a pro-choice pastor, I’ve always believed that a patient’s room is way too small for a woman, her doctor, and the United States government,” Warnock tweeted on Monday. “I’ll always fight to protect a woman’s right to choose. And that will never change.”
In another post on his Senate Twitter account, Warnock also wrote on Monday in support of a woman’s right to choose abortion.
“If the reports are true, I’m deeply disappointed. As a pro-choice pastor and voice for Georgia in the Senate, it’s more urgent than ever that we pass the Women’s Health Protection Act. These are decisions that should be made between a woman and her doctor—not the government,” the senator wrote.
If the reports are true, I’m deeply disappointed. As a pro-choice pastor and voice for Georgia in the Senate, it’s more urgent than ever that we pass the Women’s Health Protection Act.
These are decisions that should be made between a woman and her doctor—not the government. https://t.co/3o8UkDGbxe
— Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock (@SenatorWarnock) May 3, 2022
The controversial remarks come as Warnock faces an election battle in the Peach State that could determine control of the Senate. He is expected to face former University of Georgia football star and NFL great Herschel Walker who is running as a Republican candidate for Senate in the November midterms.
Warnock narrowly defeated Georgia Republican Sen. Kelly Loeffler in a runoff election in January 2021, becoming the state’s first black senator. The special election followed the retirement of Republican Sen. Johnny Isakson, leaving Warnock up for re-election again in 2022 for a full six-year term.
In addition to serving as a U.S. senator for Georgia, Warnock is the pastor of Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta. The church was once led by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
“Relatable” podcast host Allie Beth Stuckey also criticized Warnock’s “pro-choice pastor” title when he shared similar words on Twitter in January.
“You can be pro-choice or a faithful pastor, but you cannot be both,” she wrote.
You can be pro-choice or a faithful pastor, but you cannot be both. https://t.co/bDXeW7X9AT
— Allie Beth Stuckey (@conservmillen) January 23, 2022
Stuckey’s words came in response to the senator’s comment that, “As a pro-choice pastor, I’ve always believed that a patient’s room is way too small for a woman, her doctor, and the United States government.”