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Republicans see Ossoff as one of the most vulnerable Democrats in the nation, especially after Trump’s strong win in Georgia in the 2024 presidential race.
Dooley wasted no time going after the freshman senator’s record. He accused Ossoff of putting his political ambitions ahead of the people of Georgia.
“Our state doesn’t have a voice in the U.S. Senate who reflects Georgia values because Ossoff is more concerned with protecting his own political future, opposing everything the Trump administration is working to accomplish, and repeatedly voting with the extreme left,” Dooley declared.
He vowed that if elected, “I’ll work with President Trump to implement his agenda, support his Administration, and move our country forward.”
Dooley has made it clear that his campaign will focus on core conservative priorities.
“I’m running to put Georgia First and bring common sense to D.C.,” Dooley said. “Georgians know biological men shouldn’t be playing in women’s sports, hardworking people should keep more of their money, and opening our borders makes us less safe.”
That hardline stance puts him squarely at odds with Ossoff’s record — and in line with Republican voters who are fed up with open borders, reckless spending, and far-left cultural policies.
Dooley stressed that he’s not a product of Washington’s political machine.
“I’m not part of the political establishment, and I haven’t spent my life climbing the D.C. political ladder,” he said — a clear jab at his primary opponents, Rep. Mike Collins and Rep. Buddy Carter.
Dooley also carries a powerful family name in Georgia. His late father, Vince Dooley, became a legend coaching the University of Georgia Bulldogs to national glory. Derek carved out his own coaching career at Louisiana Tech, the University of Tennessee, and later in the NFL.
Dooley now joins a Republican field that already includes Collins and Carter — two sitting congressmen with significant political connections.
Collins, who entered the race last week, quickly fired back at Dooley with a video questioning his loyalty to Trump. Carter, who represents Georgia’s coastal region, has been campaigning for months.
Sources say Dooley may receive the backing of popular Republican Governor Brian Kemp — a move that could split the GOP base and create tension with Trump’s political team.
According to reports, Kemp’s decision to support Dooley has already irritated Trump advisers, who were “already pretty annoyed” that Kemp didn’t run against Ossoff himself.
The Democrat Senate Campaign Committee dismissed Dooley as “a failed football coach who has only ever spoken out to cheerlead Medicaid cuts that hurt Georgians.”
Still, Dooley’s status as a political newcomer — coupled with his ties to Georgia football history — could appeal to voters tired of the establishment and looking for someone who will take the fight to Washington.
This Senate race is shaping up to be one of the fiercest battles in the country for 2026. The question now is whether Georgia Republicans will rally around a polished political insider — or put their trust in a hard-hitting outsider with a whistle around his neck and a promise to put Georgia first.
