It wasn’t that long ago that Georgians felt comfortable walking the streets of Atlanta or going to the shopping mall alone. Parents didn’t worry about their kids playing outside or whether they’d make it home from school safely. That’s not the case anymore.
Recently, Georgia has seen a crime surge throughout its major metropolitan areas. Lethal drugs have infected neighborhoods all over the state. Public safety is top-of-mind for many Georgians — but apparently not for Democratic Sen. Raphael Warnock. This November, voters in the Peach State have the chance to reject Warnock and elect someone who will put Georgians first: Republican Herschel Walker.
As a senator, Warnock has consistently pushed a radical, woke agenda that puts law and order last. He lobbied for the end of Atlanta’s bail system, which led to an approximate 100 percent spike in released offenders failing to appear for their court dates. He’s voted to confirm Biden’s soft-on-crime Supreme Court pick. He’s demonized our men and women in blue, calling them “thugs” and “bullies.” He’s even voted to give stimulus checks to prisoners, including the Boston Marathon Bomber.
Meanwhile, Atlanta’s homicide rate has increased three years in a row. Smash-and-grab robberies terrorize businesses; one Atlanta boutique lost over $100,000 in merchandise after burglars broke into their store. Warnock’s response? Spending $4 million to dismantle part of the city’s jail and turn it into a “diversion center.” At every turn, Warnock has done more for criminals than law-abiding citizens.
As if that wasn’t bad enough, Warnock’s support for the Biden administration’s open border policies has laid out a welcome mat for illegal activity. Two hundred thousand migrants were apprehended trying to cross the United States-Mexico border just in July — and that’s not counting the got aways who slipped through the cracks. Since October, Border Patrol agents have encountered 66 migrants on the terror watchlist attempting to enter America illegally. Illicit drugs continue to pour into the country: 2,071 pounds of deadly fentanyl — the equivalent of more than 469 million lethal doses — were seized at the southern border in July alone, with much more getting through.
Fentanyl overdoses are now the leading cause of death for Americans 18-45 years old. These drugs have made their way deep into the country, including the Peach State. Georgia has seen increased overdoses from street drugs laced with fentanyl. It’s killing Georgians — including a toddler. No one is safe, yet Warnock votes against even the most minimal border security efforts.
With crime and lethal drugs on the rise, it’s no wonder Georgians are fleeing in search of safer neighborhoods. But when residents leave, local economies suffer. All over the country, businesses are being forced to slash their workforces just to stay afloat. Gasoline averages nearly $4 per gallon, making transportation and supplies more expensive. The price of groceries is up 13 percent since last year — the largest increase in 43 years.
But rather than alleviate these burdens, Warnock has doubled down. Last year, he helped fuel a boycott of the MLB All-Star game, costing Atlanta small businesses $100 million. He voted to waste $1.9 trillion with Biden’s “stimulus,” which sent inflation soaring and real wages falling — resulting in a pay cut for hardworking families. And earlier this month, he voted to send 87,000 IRS agents after them thanks to Joe Biden’s so-called “Inflation Reduction Act,” which actually does nothing to reduce inflation. In fact, Warnock has voted with Biden 96 percent of the time.
Georgians deserve U.S. senators who represent their values. That’s why Herschel Walker’s vision for Georgia is so refreshing. As a senator, Walker will support economic policies that work because he is a successful entrepreneur. He will vote to secure our southern border and stop the flow of human trafficking, criminals and drugs. He’ll fully fund law enforcement and give them the equipment and resources to hire, train and protect officers. He’ll reject woke social experiments and require prosecutors to do their jobs: prosecute crimes and keep violent criminals in jail. And as a legendary athlete, he’ll have no problem protecting women’s sports from the far left.
As a parent myself, I know how vital public safety is to families. Keeping citizens safe and creating an environment where individuals can thrive is the government’s most basic job. It’s the reason we send our senators to Washington. Raphael Warnock had nearly two years to prove himself. Instead, he’s only proved that he cares more about serving Joe Biden’s failed agenda than his constituents in Georgia. Voters are ready for a change. In November, they’ll put Warnock out of a job.
Ronna McDaniel is chair of the Republican National Committee.