Former University of Tennessee football coach Derek Dooley on Monday launched a campaign for Senate in Georgia, joining a crowded Republican field.
Dooley, who is from Athens, Ga., and whose father, Vince Dooley, was head coach at the University of Georgia, joins the primary field of potential challengers to Democratic Sen. Jon Ossoff in one of the most-watched contests of 2026.
“To me, the only thing that’s important is the people of Georgia are proud of who’s representing them in Washington, D.C.,” Dooley said in his announcement video. “President Trump campaigned on things, and he’s turning them into results.”
Republican Reps. Buddy Carter and Mike Collins have already declared their candidacy, with other Republicans also considering running. Republican Gov. Brian Kemp has declined to run, and John King, the state insurance commissioner, has already withdrawn from the race.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported in July that Dooley had tapped Kemp advisers for his potential Senate bid.
“Already seen as a weak candidate by the Trump White House, Derek Dooley is going to quickly discover his father’s fame won’t win him a Senate seat. And as Kemp and MAGA Republicans squabble among themselves, Jon Ossoff will continue to push for lower costs, better health care, and more jobs for Georgians,” Lauren French, spokesperson for the Democratic leadership-aligned Senate Majority PAC, said in a statement.
Inside Elections with Nathan L. Gonzales rates the Georgia Senate race as one of three in the Toss-up column.
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