Georgia Democratic Senate candidate Raphael Warnock worked at church that praised Fidel Castro

Warnock’s campaign disputes the importance of his role at the church at the time, claiming that he was a junior member of the church staff that was not involved in the decision-making process.

“Twenty-five years ago, Reverend Warnock was a youth pastor and was not involved in any decisions at that time,” a spokesperson for the Warnock campaign said without confirming whether or not Warnock attended that particular event.

The campaign added that Warnock served as a youth pastor when the speech in question occurred and became an “assistant pastor” later in his tenure at the church.

“BREAKING: Georgia Senate Democratic Candidate Raphael Warnock hosted a celebration for Communist Dictator and Mass Murderer Fidel Castro at his church in 1995,” the Reagan Battalion posted on Twitter, along with a video of Castro’s appearance.

Warnock was also criticized after the Atlanta Journal-Constitution obtained a police report showing that he was accused by his wife of running over her foot with his car during a disagreement which he “flatly denied” hurt her.

Warnock is set to face off against incumbent Georgia Republican Sen. Kelly Loeffler in a January special election that will play a key role in determining which political party controls the Senate in the next congressional term.

“@ReverendWarnock celebrated Fidel Castro & welcomed him to his church,” Loeffler’s official Twitter account posted Tuesday. “It’s another example of what we’ve been saying all along: He’s the most dangerous and radical candidate in America.”

After it was clear Warnock and Loeffler would be heading to a runoff election, the reverend released a preemptive ad warning that his opponent would launch negative attacks against him.

“Get ready Georgia,” Warnock tweeted. “The negative ads against us are coming. But that won’t stop us from fighting for a better future for Georgians and focusing on the issues that matter.”