Former college football coach and attorney Derek Dooley officially kicked off his campaign Monday morning to secure the Republican nomination for the U.S. Senate in Georgia, targeting a key seat that Republicans hope to reclaim in next year’s elections.
Georgia Republicans are aiming to wrest the seat away from Democratic Sen. Jon Ossoff, who is serving his first term. The race is critical as the GOP seeks to preserve or expand its narrow Senate majority. While Georgia traditionally leans red, Democrats have performed strongly in recent years, controlling both Senate seats. In the 2020 presidential election, Joe Biden narrowly won Georgia by less than half a percentage point, while Donald Trump claimed the state by a slim margin of just over two points in 2024.
Initially, Republicans in Georgia had high hopes that Gov. Brian Kemp would throw his hat into the ring for the Senate race. However, Kemp declined, opening the door for a crowded field of candidates—none of whom boast Kemp’s statewide recognition or fundraising abilities. Kemp, who has had a somewhat strained relationship with Trump, had encouraged Dooley, whose father is a University of Georgia football legend, to enter the race. According to a source close to Dooley’s campaign, he has engaged several advisers previously aligned with Kemp to assist in launching his Senate bid.
Dooley joins a competitive field that includes two current House members, both appealing to the MAGA base: Rep. Mike Collins, known for his active and occasionally controversial social media presence, and Rep. Buddy Carter.
Positioning himself as a unifier, Dooley hopes to bridge the divide between Kemp-aligned Republicans and Trump loyalists, especially after public clashes between Trump and Kemp following the 2020 election when Georgia officials refused to contest the results.
Since then, Kemp and Trump have mended fences and committed to collaborating in support of the strongest candidate to unseat Ossoff.
Dooley believes he fits the role perfectly. The son of legendary University of Georgia coach Vince Dooley, Derek is stepping into politics for the first time. His campaign launch video begins with archival footage of his father’s coaching legacy before pivoting to a promise to work closely with Trump if elected.
“Unlike Ossoff, I will collaborate with President Trump to advance his agenda, support his administration, and move our country forward,” Dooley declared. “I’m not a career politician, and I haven’t spent my life climbing the political ladder in Washington, D.C.”
Dooley’s team also highlighted that Vince Dooley endorsed Trump back in June 2016—well before Trump became the Republican establishment’s front-runner—even though Vince rarely engaged in politics. Vince Dooley passed away in 2022. Republicans are determined not to repeat their 2022 missteps, when Trump-backed former football star Herschel Walker lost to Sen. Raphael Warnock by about three points amid controversies including allegations of domestic abuse.
There is ample precedent for football figures turning athletic fame into political success. Republican Sen. Tommy Tuberville of Alabama, a former Auburn University coach, is now running for governor. Nebraska’s longtime coach Tom Osborne served three terms in Congress. And former University of Tennessee quarterback and NFL player Heath Shuler represented North Carolina in the House for eight years.
“The foundation of football is the American spirit,” Dooley said in a campaign statement. “You work hard, play by the rules, and keep fighting through adversity—giving everyone a fair shot at achieving their dreams. As a coach, I wanted that for all my players. As your next U.S. Senator, I want that for all Georgians—and all Americans.”
Dooley’s coaching career was mixed; he served three seasons at Louisiana Tech and three at Tennessee, managing just one winning season. He finished with a 32-41 overall record. Most of his career was spent as an assistant coach at both collegiate and professional levels.
Meanwhile, Democrats are eager to exploit divisions within the Georgia GOP and its relationship with the national party, hoping this fracture will help Ossoff maintain his seat.
“Already viewed as a weak candidate by the Trump White House, Derek Dooley will quickly learn that his father’s fame won’t secure him a Senate seat,” said Lauren French, spokesperson for the Senate Majority PAC. “As Republicans bicker among themselves, Jon Ossoff will continue focusing on lowering costs, improving health care, and creating jobs for Georgians.”
