The former University Soccer Coach and Lawyer Derek Doolyy launched his offer on Monday morning for the Republican nomination for the United States Senate in Georgia, a main opportunity for Republicans next year.
Georgia Republicans hope to recover the seat of Democratic Senator Jon Ossoff, who is in his first term; It is an important objective for the party to maintain or expand its thin majority of the Senate. Democrats have had excessive performance in the traditionally red state in recent elections and occupy both seats in the Senate. Joe Biden won the State in 2020 for less than half a percentage point, while Donald Trump won just over 2 points in 2024.
The Republicans of Georgia had set their hopes that Governor Brian Kemp run through the seat, but Kemp died, opening the field to a wide range of candidates, none of which he has won throughout the state or has the level of recognition of names or the skill of collection of funds of the popular governor, which has had a witnessing relationship with Trump.
Kemp had been pressing Doelyy, whose father was a legend of the University of Georgia, to enter the race. He has hired some of the governor’s advisors to consult about his incipient offer, said a source familiar with the launch of the Doolyy campaign.
Dooley joins a field that includes two members sitting from the house, both hoping to capture the magic wing of the Republican party. Representative Mike Collins, who has an active social media profile and sometimes controversial, and representative Buddy Carter is in the race.
Doolyy hopes to close the gap between Kemp’s wing and Maga’s loyal ones after Trump shot himself publicly with Kemp and other Georgia officials who refused to challenge his loss in the 2020 elections in the state.
Since then, Kemp and Trump have repaired their relationship and promised to work together to help support the best candidate to overcome Ossoff.
Dooley believes that it conforms to the bill. Son of the legendary football coach of the University of Georgia Vince Doolyy, the youngest Dooley is making his first foray into politics. His launch video begins with an old film of his father’s training days at Georgia University and makes a quick pivot to promise to work with Trump if he is chosen for the Senate.
“Unlike Ossoff, I will work with President Trump to implement his agenda, support his administration and advance to our country,” said Doolyy in a statement. “I am not part of the political establishment, and I have not spent my life uploading the political scale of DC.”
Dooley’s team also said that his father supported Trump for president in June 2016, before Trump had taken command of the Republican party and, although he rarely got into politics. Vince Dooley died in 2022.
Republicans are desperate for not repeating the mistakes of 2022. Trump defended former football star Herschel Walker to face Senator Raphael Warnock, just to see him lose for about 3 points in the midst of false steps and revelations about his past, including accusations of domestic abuse.
There are many precedents for football stars that analyze their popularity in political success. Republican senator Tommy Tuberville, from Alabama, was the coach of the University of Auburn before entering politics; Now he postulates for governor. The former Nebraska football coach, Tom Osborne, spent three terms in the house. And the former field marshal and NFL player from the University of Tennessee, Heath Shuler, represented North Carolina at home for eight years.
“The basis of football is the American spirit,” said Dooley in his statement. “You work hard, you play with the rules, you keep fighting when adversity hits, you have a good opportunity to achieve your dreams. As a coach, I wanted that for all my players. Like his next American senator, I want that for all Georgians, and all Americans.”
Dooley had an unequal career as a chief coach. He spent three seasons in Louisiana Tech and three seasons in Tennessee and had only one more .500 season. He finished his career as a chief coach with a 32-41 record. Most of his career was as a university and professional assistant.
The Democrats are eager to play with the fissures between the Republicans of Georgia and the National Party, who hope to give an advantage to Ossoff.
“Already seen as a weak candidate of Trump’s White House, Derek Doely will quickly discover that his father’s fame will not win a seat in the Senate,” said Lauren French, spokesman for the majority of the PAC Senate. “And as Republicans dispute between them, Jon Ossoff will continue to press for lower costs, better medical care and more jobs for Georgians.”
