Republican Derek Dooley, ex-football coach, launches Senate bid in Georgia

Source: NBC News

Aug. 4, 2025, 5:00 AM EDT


Former college football coach and attorney Derek Dooley launched his bid Monday morning for the Republican nomination for the U.S. Senate in Georgia, a prime pick-up opportunity for Republicans next year.

Georgia Republicans hope to win back the seat from Democratic Sen. Jon Ossoff, who is in his first term; it’s a major target for the party to maintain or expand its slim Senate majority. Democrats have overperformed in the traditionally red state in recent elections and hold both Senate seats. Joe Biden won the state in 2020 by less than half a percentage point, while Donald Trump won by just over 2 points in 2024.

Georgia Republicans had pinned their hopes on Gov. Brian Kemp’s making a run for the seat, but Kemp passed, opening up the field to a wide range of candidates, none of whom have won statewide or have the level of name recognition or fundraising prowess of the popular governor, who has had a testy relationship with Trump.

Kemp had been pushing Dooley, whose father was a University of Georgia legend, to get into the race. He has hired some of the governor’s advisers to consult on his nascent bid, a source familiar with Dooley’s campaign launch said. Dooley joins a field that includes two sitting members of the House, both hoping to capture the MAGA wing of the GOP. Rep. Mike Collins, who has an active and sometimes controversial social media profile, and Rep. Buddy Carter are both in the race.

Read more: https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2026-election/republican-derek-dooley-football-coach-senate-georgia-jon-ossoff-rcna222574