Former University of Tennessee football coach Derek Dooley will run for U.S. Senate in Georgia, he announced Monday.
The Republican will run with support from popular GOP Gov. Brian Kemp, who earlier this month ruled out his own bid to challenge incumbent Democrat Jon Ossoff.
Dooley, new to politics, joins Republican Primary contenders U.S. Reps. Buddy Carter and Mike Collins.
In a campaign video posted to X, Dooley touted his years as a football coach and noted that as a Senator, he would work to create more opportunities for the people of the Peach State.
“I sat in kitchens and living rooms with people from all walks of life,” Dooley said. “The only thing that mattered was trying to create hope and opportunity for them and that family.”
Dooley further touted President Donald Trump’s leadership and said he would bring back “good old-fashioned Georgia common sense” if elected, before taking aim at Ossoff.
“Professional politicians like Jon Ossoff are the problem,” Dooley said. “Lawlessness, open season on the border, inflation everywhere, woke stuff, that’s what they represent. We need new leadership in Georgia. That’s why I’m running for Senate.”
Dooley, who is an Athens native, first hinted at a potential campaign launch in June. While he presents himself as a political outsider, the former coach has deep ties to Kemp, who reportedly shared a room with Dooley’s older brother while they attended the University of Georgia, according to 11Alive.
GOP Insurance Commissioner John King dropped out of the race in late July when it became clear Dooley and Collins were likely to enter, opting instead to pursue another term as Commissioner, according to the Georgia Recorder.
“I got into the U.S. Senate race to beat Jon Ossoff, not distract from the mission,” King said in a statement at the time. “Right now, it’s clear there’s little path forward to the nomination, so today I’m suspending my campaign.”
U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene has also opted out of a bid for both the Senate Governor’s races in 2026.
