Summary
- Gov. Brian Kemp endorsed Derek Dooley for the Georgia Senate.
- Endorsement given outside Dooley Field at Sanford Stadium.
- Kemp calls Dooley best to defeat Sen. Jon Ossoff.
- Dooley was highlighted as a political outsider and unifier.
An hour prior to the Georgia Bulldogs' season opener, Kemp made the announcement, stating that Dooley was the "one and only opportunity" to unseat Ossoff.
After playing for four years as a receiver for the University of Virginia football team, Dooley went on to obtain his law degree from the University of Georgia, where he began his 28-year coaching career as a graduate assistant.
The son of former UGA coach Vince Dooley, the former coach of the University of Tennessee, spent over ten years coaching in the NFL and nearly twenty years coaching collegiate football. He still works with the nation's Group of Five schools.
Maeve Coyle, a spokesman for the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, made a statement criticizing Dooley's coaching career after his campaign announcement.
"The latest addition to Georgia’s messy and chaotic GOP primary is a failed football coach who has only ever spoken out to cheerlead Medicaid cuts that hurt Georgians,"
Coyle wrote.
"As this primary gets even more crowded and devolves into a proxy war between President Trump and Governor Kemp, Senator Ossoff is fighting for working families in Georgia and will hold his seat in 2026."
Dooley tackled the claims on Saturday, claiming "leadership matters," FOX 5 Atlanta reported.
"I could tell you in the locker room right now, right down the road, it doesn't matter what your race is, what your income level is, what your politics [are], what your religion is,"
Dooley said.
"It was about bringing people together. Leadership matters.
I mean, look at our state. That's what great leadership looks like. And you look at our country right now. You took a guy who was an outsider, President [Donald] Trump, who came in and didn't accept business as usual."
Dooley said in a statement to Fox News Digital he is deeply honored to have the governor's support.
"Governor Kemp has led this state with strong leadership, integrity, and achieved historic accomplishments during truly unprecedented times in our state and nation,"
he wrote.
"Georgians know him and trust him. I hope to bring that same leadership style focused on conservative results to the U.S. Senate by defeating Jon Ossoff next November.
The Governor's support gives our campaign incredible momentum as we continue to earn support from hardworking Georgians all across our state."
Kemp's office did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment.
How might Trump’s lack of endorsement affect Dooley’s general election viability?
Some studies indicate that Trump’s endorsements can mobilize Democratic and independent voters against the endorsed Republican, reducing their appeal in general elections, especially in competitive or swing states like Georgia. This backlash may hurt Dooley by association if Trump withholds support.
Among Republican voters, Trump’s endorsements provide some boost in primaries but do not always translate into stronger general election performance. Voters often prioritize candidate policy positions and local issues over endorsements, and some Republicans might prefer candidates with broader appeal instead of deep Trump alignment.
Trump’s endorsements can raise negative media attention and energize opposition turnout, potentially offsetting any enthusiasm within the GOP base.