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WNBA players wear 'Vote Warnock' shirts in response to Loeffler's Black Lives Matter opposition

The Republican is a co-owner of the Atlanta Dream, who were among the teams that wore the shirts.

ATLANTA — Players around the WNBA began wearing "Vote Warnock" shirts on Tuesday, in response to Sen. Kelly Loeffler's opposition to the Black Lives Matter movement.

The Republican is a co-owner of the Atlanta Dream, who were among the teams that wore the shirts. Warnock is one of her more high-profile opponents in an open special election in November to fill out the remainder of Sen. Johnny Isakson's term, a seat she currently holds on appointment by Gov. Brian Kemp.

RELATED: Former Atlanta Dream player pushing for social justice reform reacts to Sen. Kelly Loeffler's Black Lives Matter opposition

"We are @wnba players, but like the late, great John Lewis said, we are also ordinary people with extraordinary vision. @ReverendWarnock has spent his life fighting for the people and we need him in Washington," Elizabeth Williams, one of the Dream's leading scorers, tweeted Tuesday before the team's game against the Phoenix Mercury.

The Mercury also wore the "Vote Warnock" shirts. According to a release, the Chicago Sky, Dallas Wings, Connecticut Sun, and Seattle Storm are also wearing the shirts.

Warnock, a Democrat who pastors Atlanta's historic Ebenezer Baptist Church, said in the release he was "honored and humbled by the overwhelming support from the WNBA players."

"Senator Loeffler and those like her who seek to silence and dismiss others when they speak up for justice have planted themselves on the wrong side of history," he added.

RELATED: WNBA team owner and U.S. Sen. Kelly Loeffler upset with league's plan to honor Black Lives Matter

Sen. Loeffler has characterized Black Lives Matter as a political organization, rather than a protest movement, and said she opposes it "due to its radical ideas and Marxist foundations, which include defunding the police and eroding the nuclear family."

"This is just more proof that the out of control cancel culture wants to shut out anyone who disagrees with them," she said Tuesday in a statement. "It’s clear that the league is more concerned with playing politics than basketball."

Amid calls for Loeffler to step away from the Dream, the WNBA has said she is "no longer involved in the day-to-day business" of the team.

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