The office:
U.S. Senate
Party:
Republican
The lane:
At the urging of Gov. Brian Kemp, Derek Dooley entered the race for U.S. Senate as a more an establishment-backed alternative to the candidates who’d already announced, while walking the line of Republican loyalty to President Donald Trump.
The basics:
Dooley is the son of longtime University of Georgia football coach Vince Dooley. He was grew up in Athens. He played football at University of Virginia, where he also got a law degree. Following in his father’s footsteps, turned to coaching and spent his career doing short stints coaching at several colleges and professional teams.
Why he’s running:
The son of legendary University of Georgia coach Vince Dooley, Derek Dooley grew up in Athens, played football at the University of Virginia and later earned a law degree from UGA. He spent decades in football coaching, including stints in the SEC and the NFL, before entering politics.
What’s working:
Kemp has spent decades building relationships in Georgia Republican politics, which gives him a broad institutional network. With the primary approaching, that could matter: a recent The Atlanta Journal-Constitution poll showed him and Buddy Carter effectively tied in the race for a runoff berth.
The challenge:
Many Republican voters are skeptical of Dooley’s lack of experience in politics and it’s not clear how much his last name and his father’s legacy will play a part in the election results.
What to watch:
How much help from Kemp and his network will it take to push Dooley ahead of Carter and secure a spot in a likely runoff?
Campaign website: https://www.dooleyforgeorgia.com/
