Governor Brian Kemp throws his support behind Derek Dooley in the U.S. Senate election in Georgia
Georgia's 2026 Senate Race Heats Up with Derek Dooley's Entry
The political landscape of Georgia is abuzz with excitement as Derek Dooley, a longtime friend and fellow UGA graduate of Governor Brian Kemp, has announced his candidacy for the 2026 U.S. Senate race.
Dooley, the son of Vince Dooley, former UGA head football coach and athletic director, began his coaching career as a graduate assistant at the University of Georgia. He later coached wide receivers for the Dallas Cowboys from 2013-17 and served as the head coach at Louisiana Tech from 2007-09 and the University of Tennessee from 2010-12. In 2020, Dooley was the offensive analyst for the University of Alabama.
Governor Kemp endorsed Dooley for the Senate race, citing their shared Georgia roots and mutual respect. Dooley's law degree from the University of Georgia and his experience as an offensive coordinator for the University of Missouri from 2018-19 are expected to bolster his campaign.
Meanwhile, the current U.S. ambassador to China, David Perdue, lost his Senate seat to Jon Ossoff in a runoff election in 2021. Ossoff, who gained national attention in 2017 as the Democratic candidate in the high-profile special election for Georgia's 6th congressional district, became the youngest sitting U.S. senator at the time and the first Jewish senator from Georgia. He is only the second Georgia Democrat elected to the Senate in the 21st century.
Other Republican candidates seeking the Republican nomination in the 2026 Georgia Senate race include U.S. Representatives Buddy Carter and Mike Collins, as well as activist Reagan Box. Potential contenders such as Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger have been mentioned, though some have declined or suspended campaigns.
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