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Candidate Comparisons

The NWLC Action Fund aims to inform the public about candidates’ positions on issues affecting gender justice. We encourage voters to get informed, learn where their candidates stand, and to encourage candidates to adopt policy positions that support women and girls. 

Raphael
Warnock

vs.

Herschel
Walker

Supports

Protect and strengthen abortion and contraception access

Opposes

Supports

Fund affordable and accessible child care

Unknown Position

Supports

Strengthen paid family and medical leave

Unknown Position

Unknown Position

Protect women, especially women of color, and others from discrimination and harassment in the workplace

Unknown Position

Supports

Raise the minimum wage

Unknown Position

Supports

Keep all children—including LGBTQI+ children and children of color—safe from discrimination

Opposes

Supports

Prevent censorship in school curricula

Opposes

Supports

Advance gun safety measures that keep schools free from gun violence

Opposes

Supports

Expand voting access

Opposes

Supports

Build diverse courts that work for everyone

Unknown Position

Supports

Strengthen and expand access to maternal health care

Unknown Position

NWLC Action Fund does not endorse candidates.  These voter guides are an educational resource for the public and are not intended to be an endorsement of any candidate or political party. Candidates’ positions on the issues are determined using recorded votes for and against legislation; statements from interviews, press appearances, press releases and candidate events; social media posts from verified accounts; and endorsements from organizations and associations.

Evidences/Citations

Abortion

Raphael Warnock

  1. Codify the right to abortion in-state and support the creation of a nationwide right that stops abortion bans and guarantees that the right and access to abortion does not depend on where a person lives. 
    1. From his Senate web page: “Warnock has fought to increase safe and affordable access to contraceptives and achieve reproductive justice for women and families. At a moment in which Roe v. Wade is under attack like never before, Reverend Warnock is fighting to ensure that all Georgians have access to the health care they need, including reproductive health care. As a pro-choice pastor, he fundamentally believes that health care is a human right and that decisions about pregnancy should be made between a patient and their doctor.”
    2. He has tweeted support for abortion as a right and as heath care.
    3. Warnock was endorsed by NARAL.
  2. Ensure that people’s access to health care is free from stigma, barriers, and restrictions, including abortion care, contraceptives, and maternal health care. 
    1. He has tweeted support for abortion as a right and as heath care.
    2. Warnock was endorsed by NARAL.
  3. Make sure quality pregnancy supports are accessible, affordable, and culturally competent for all—including protections and supports, like doula access, are available that promote the health outcomes of Georgia’s pregnant people, especially Black women.
    1. Co-sponsored S.4550 to increase funding for pregnancy centers that provide equal counseling for all options, including adoption, abortion, pregnancy, and foster care.
    2. Co-sponsored S.3362, requiring “the Department of Health and Human Services to implement a coordinated approach for monitoring and sharing information about its maternal health efforts.”
  4. Safeguard and expand access to contraception
    1. Co-sponsored S.4612 “to protect a person’s ability to access contraceptives and to engage in contraception, and to protect a health care provider’s ability to provide contraceptives, contraception, and information related to contraception.”

Family Economic Security

Raphael Warnock

  1. Make millionaires and billionaires pay their fair share of taxes.
    1. Tweeted against tax breaks for the wealthy.
    2. Warnock supported the amendment to the Inflation Act to exempt some businesses from the 15% minimum tax on corporations
    3. On Warnock’s campaign website, he says “Fighting for workers also means Reverend Warnock will oppose Washington tax breaks that benefit the richest of the rich while leaving behind the poor and working families that need help the most.”
  2. Help families with the rising cost of child care by investing in high-quality, affordable child care.
    1. Signed a letter with other Senators calling to address child care in reconciliation.
  3. Establish universal paid family and medical leave.
    1. Cosponsored S.248 – FAMILY Act, which “entitles every employee to a family and medical leave insurance (FMLI) monthly benefit payment of two-thirds of the employee’s regular pay, limited to a maximum of $4,000, for not more than 60 days of qualified caregiving.”
    2. Tweeted in support of #PaidLeaveForAll.
  4. Protect women, especially women of color, and others from discrimination and harassment in the workplace
    1. Research into this candidate has yielded no statements indicating support or opposition.
  5. Pay workers fairly, including ensuring equal pay for all and raising the minimum wage to at least $15/hour for all working people.
    1. Original cosponsor on S.53 – Raise the Wage Act of 2021, which “increases the federal minimum wage for regular employees over a 5-year period, for tipped employees, and for newly hired employees who are less than 20 years old.”
  6. Tweeted in support of raising the federal minimum wage.

Education

Raphael Warnock

  1. Support students’ ability to learn and be themselves by keeping them safe from discrimination and harassment in school.
    1. Co-sponsored the 2021 Equality Act, which prohibits discrimination based on sex, sexual orientation, and gender identity in areas including public accommodations and facilities, education, federal funding, employment, housing, credit, and the jury system. Specifically, the bill defines and includes sex, sexual orientation, and gender identity among the prohibited categories of discrimination or segregation.
      1.  The bill expands the definition of public accommodations to include places or establishments that provide (1) exhibitions, recreation, exercise, amusement, gatherings, or displays; (2) goods, services, or programs; and (3) transportation services.
  2. Oppose efforts to fuel divisions in our communities by vilifying and excluding transgender students.
    1. Along with other Senators, he introduced a Senate resolution recognizing the month of June as LGBTQ+ Pride Month
      1. ‘As we reflect on how far we have come, let’s remember how far we have to go to create a world where we *all* feel safe to be our authentic selves.  Every human being has inherent dignity, and I’ll always be an ally of the LGBTQIA+ community,’ said Senator Warnock.”
    2. In 2020, Warnock wrote a piece for The Advocate in which he said “The same sort of religious fearmongering I’m fighting against, has shown up in the form of my opponent Kelly Loeffler who would rather spend her time pushing hateful bills to punish trans women athletes in schools for being themselves than to protect health care for nearly 400,000 LGBTQ Georgians.”
    3. In September 2020, he tweeted in opposition to anti-transgender bills.
  3. Oppose censorship of schools’ ability to teach truth, including about race and gender and how they have been used to divide us
    1. Warnock voted against a Senate amendment (S.Amdt. 3680) to a Senate Budget Resolution (S.Con.Res. 14) “to establish a deficit-neutral reserve fund relating to prohibiting the teaching of critical race theory in prekindergarten programs and elementary and secondary schools.”
  4. Ensure full funding that meets every school’s needs – including schools building safer environments by prioritizing COVID safety measures.
    1. Voted against a Senate resolution “providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the Department of Health and Human Services relating to ‘Vaccine and Mask Requirements To Mitigate the Spread of COVID-19 in Head Start Programs.’”
  5. Advance gun safety measures that keep schools free from gun violence.
    1. Giffords said in its endorsement “He is a champion for gun safety in the Senate, supporting legislation that would close loopholes in our gun laws that allow people who have committed domestic abuse to access firearms, require background checks on all gun sales, and secure funding for community violence initiatives and gun violence research.”
    2. Voted in favor of bipartisan federal gun control legislation.
  6. Oppose discriminatory discipline policies in schools, including increased policing of students 
    1. Tweeted in support of Title IX protections.

Democracy

Raphael Warnock

  1. Protect and expand access to the ballot and restore the Voting Rights Act.
    1. Warnock urged the Senate to take up the John Lewis Voting Rights Act, saying (42:43) “If we fail to protect the voices and votes of the American people, then we have fallen way short of our responsibility as members of this body.”
    2. In his first Senate floor speech, Warnock said “ “I stand before you saying that this issue—access to voting and preempting politicians’ efforts to restrict voting—is so fundamental to our democracy that it is too important to be held hostage by a Senate rule, especially one historically used to restrict the expansion of basic rights.”
  2. Ensure all voters have equal access to the ballot box and their votes are counted fairly, including expanded early voting days, language access protections for Limited English Proficient (LEP) voters, and a district map that empowers all voters. 
    1. Warnock was the primary sponsor of S.2155 to protect elections. Among other things, the legislation “restricts the ability of a statewide election administrator to remove a local election administrator” and “establishes certain requirements for challenging an individual’s eligibility to register to vote or vote in federal elections.”
  3. Reshape the makeup of the judiciary by working with federal lawmakers to nominate and confirm judges with a strong record of supporting gender and racial justice issues and who affirmatively declare they will uphold equality, opportunity for all, individual liberty, and the freedom to make personal decisions about our bodies and relationships.
    1. Released a statement in support of the nomination of KBJ to SCOTUS, saying “I proudly support her nomination, and hope my colleagues will join me in voting for her confirmation.”
    2. Tweeted in support of KBJ’s confirmation.

Abortion

Herschel Walker

  1. Codify the right to abortion in-state and support the creation of a nationwide right that stops abortion bans and guarantees that the right and access to abortion does not depend on where a person lives.
    1. In the aftermath of the Dobbs decision, he Tweeted his support for overturning Roe.
  2. Ensure that people’s access to health care is free from stigma, barriers, and restrictions, including abortion care, contraceptives, and maternal health care.
    1. Quote from NYT article: Asked Wednesday if he wanted a more total ban on abortion than the six-week prohibition passed by the Republican-controlled state legislature, Mr. Walker was unequivocal. “There’s no exception in my mind,” he told reporters after a campaign speech in Macon, Ga., at the Georgia Sports Hall of Fame. “Like I say, I believe in life. I believe in life.” He did not single out exceptions for rape, incest or the life of the mother specifically, but he said repeatedly that he wanted no exceptions.
    2. His campaign website claims: “Herschel is a compassionate conservative who is pro-life and pro-family.”
  3. Make sure quality pregnancy supports are accessible, affordable, and culturally competent for all – including protections and supports, like doula access, are available that promote the health outcomes of Georgia’s pregnant people, especially Black women.
    1. Walker has not commented on ensuring quality pregnancy supports and largely has barred press from his appearances.
  4. Safeguard and expand access to contraception 
    1. Walker has not commented on contraception and largely has barred press from his appearances.

Family Economic Security

Herschel Walker

  1. Make millionaires and billionaires pay their fair share of taxes
    1. In a radio interview, Walker said, “All I ever hear from the left is, ‘Let’s tax the wealthy, let’s tax the wealthy.’ Well, you can’t just say, ‘Let’s tax the wealthy.’ That’s not — that’s not right. You gotta have a tax system that’s gonna be fair for everyone,” Walker said, arguing that America needs “leaders that’s gonna make a decision, rather than just trying to push it off on something else.”
  2. Help families with the rising cost of child care by investing in high-quality, affordable child care
    1. Walker has not commented on policies to expand access to high-quality, affordable child care and largely has barred press from his appearances.
  3. Establish universal paid family and medical leave
    1. Research into this candidate has yielded no statements indicating support or opposition
    2. Walker has not explicitly addressed universal paid leave but consistently talks about removing government red tape for businesses on his campaign website and largely has barred press from his appearances.
  4. Protect women, especially women of color, and others from discrimination and harassment in the workplace.
    1. Walker has not commented on policies to protect women and others from discrimination and harassment and largely has barred press from his appearances.
  5. Pay workers fairly, including ensuring equal pay for all and raising the minimum wage to at least $15/hour for all working people.
    1. Walker has not commented on raising the minimum wage and largely has barred press from his appearances.

Education

Herschel Walker

  1. Support students’ ability to learn and be themselves by keeping them safe from discrimination and harassment in school. 
    1. Walker has not commented on keeping students safe from discrimination and harassment and largely has barred press from his appearances.
  2. Oppose efforts to fuel divisions in our communities by vilifying and excluding transgender students.
    1. Walker told Newsmax: he doesn’t “think it was “fair” for transgender athletes to participate in female sports, as ‘men shouldn’t be in women’s sports. It is sad that right now we’re trying to determine what is a woman,’ Walker, R-Ga., said on National Report. ‘It’s written in the Bible what’s a woman … you have two [sexes], there’s a man and a woman, and that’s it.’ The GOP candidate further said that he doesn’t “know who decided to let that happen” when it comes to transgender athletes competing in women’s sports, but now, “they’re threatening if you speak out against it,” but “Herschel Walker is going to speak out against it.”
    2. In March, he tweeted his outrage that a transgender woman had won an NCAA swimming competition.
  3. Oppose censorship of schools’ ability to teach truth, including about race and gender and how they have been used to divide us.
    1. Walker told Newsmax: he doesn’t “think it was “fair” for transgender athletes to participate in female sports, as ‘men shouldn’t be in women’s sports. It is sad that right now we’re trying to determine what is a woman,’ Walker, R-Ga., said on National Report. ‘It’s written in the Bible what’s a woman … you have two [sexes], there’s a man and a woman, and that’s it.’ The GOP candidate further said that he doesn’t “know who decided to let that happen” when it comes to transgender athletes competing in women’s sports, but now, “they’re threatening if you speak out against it,” but “Herschel Walker is going to speak out against it.”
  4. Safeguard students’ ability to live full, dignified lives free from gun violence
    1. Walker gave a pro-gun response to the Uvalde shooting
  5. Oppose discriminatory discipline policies in schools, including increased policing of students
    1. Walker has not commented on school discipline policies and largely has barred press from his appearances.
  6. Ensure full funding that meets every school’s needs – including schools building safer environments by prioritizing COVID safety measures.
    1. Research into this candidate has yielded no statements indicating support or opposition 
    2. Walker said “I’d encourage every Georgian to reach out to your doctor and have that conversation,” he said, “and make the decision that is best for you and your family.”

Democracy

Herschel Walker

  1. Protect and expand access to the ballot and restore the Voting Rights Act.
    1. When asked about the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act, Walker said “You know what’s sad about that — to use the name of a great man to brand something that is so bad, I think it is terrible to do. Senator Lewis was one of the greatest senators that’s ever been and for African Americans that was absolutely incredible. To throw his name on a bill for voting rights I think is a shame.” He added it “just doesn’t fit what John Lewis stood for, and I think [Democrats] know that. And I think that it’s sad for them to do this to him.”
  2. Ensure all voters have equal access to the ballot box and their votes are counted fairly, including expanded early voting days, language access protections for Limited English Proficient (LEP) voters, and a district map that empowers all voters.
    1. In the same interview, he said “[L]et’s go to the voting rights, if you want to talk about voting. First of all, if you want to get people to vote, if they’re legal to vote, you want to try to encourage people to vote — that’s the most precious thing that you have — not encourage, but encourage. And what I mean by that is, you get things done now — don’t talk about it after or talk about it during, but get it done right now. And no one is not legal to vote, why don’t we go in and get the IDs and get everything done right now instead of waiting until it’s time to vote and start talking about it. And I think that’s what people got to remember.”
  3. Reshape the makeup of the judiciary by working with federal lawmakers to nominate and confirm judges with a strong record of supporting gender and racial justice issues and who affirmatively declare they will uphold equality, opportunity for all, individual liberty, and the freedom to make personal decisions about our bodies and relationships.
    1. Walker released a statement saying “I would not have voted to confirm Judge Jackson to the Supreme Court,” said Herschel Walker. “Her record has shown her to be lenient on criminals, supportive of Critical Race Theory, and open to court packing. We need Supreme Court justices who will uphold the U.S. Constitution – not advocate for progressive policies from the bench.”