When former Georgia gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams backs someone for office, that candidate is worth a look. That certainly is the case for the Rev. Raphael Warnock, the senior pastor at Ebenezer Baptist Church, where Martin Luther King Jr. once presided over the pulpit. Abrams announced Thursday she is endorsing Warnock in the race against incumbent U.S. Sen. Kelly Loeffler and conservative Rep. Doug Collins, who also recently announced the launch of his campaign. Abrams pushed for supporters to donate to the pastor’s campaign on Twitter, and called Warnock a “true ally in our fight for justice.” “That’s why I'm proud to endorse him for U.S. Senate here in GA,” she said.

Warnock announced the launch of his campaign Thursday with a video describing an inherited work ethic that took him from a Savannah public housing project to leading the congregation of Atlanta’s Ebenezer Baptist Church. "I had 11 sisters and brothers. We were short on money but long on love and faith," Warnock said. "Our parents taught us the value of hard work." The son of a mother who picked cotton and a father who was a veteran, small-business owner, and preacher, Warnock said simply that he loves his country and has always envisioned a path “to make it greater.”

"Somebody asked why a pastor thinks he should serve in the Senate. Well, I've committed my whole life to service and helping people realize their highest potential," Warnock said in his campaign video. "I've always thought that my impact doesn't stop at the church door. That's actually where it starts." In his campaign announcement, the senior pastor advocated for families who can't afford to pay for treatment for their medical diagnosis, for workers who are underpaid and pushed aside for the likes of  Wall Street, and for struggling families in general. "Like my father used to tell me every morning: Whatever it is, be ready," Warnock said. "And I think Georgia is ready."