ATLANTA (AP) 鈥� Lots of candidates pitch themselves as political outsiders. goes a step further. Not only is the former football coach running for the first time, he says he did not vote for nearly two decades.
He did not vote when Republican Donald Trump was first elected president in 2016. Nor did he vote in 2020, when Trump lost to Democrat Joe Biden.
But Dooley does not worry about that as he seeks the Republican nomination to face Democratic Sen. Jon Ossoff in Georgia. He insists Washington needs someone with a fresh outlook, someone who is not focused on 鈥渢heir own political career or their political ambitions.鈥�
Besides, lots of people do not vote, and Dooley told The Associated Press that he wants to inspire more people to do so.
鈥淚f you鈥檙e not vigilant in exercising that right, things can go pretty sideways in our country,鈥� he said.
Dooley鈥檚 opponents in the May 19 primary include two congressmen, Mike Collins and Buddy Carter. Although Dooley supports Trump, Collins and Carter are more closely identified with Trump鈥檚 鈥淢ake America Great Again鈥� brand. With support from the more establishment Gov. Brian Kemp, Dooley will test whether his outsider narrative is compelling at a time when Trump鈥檚 antiestablishment movement already dominates the nation’s capital.
The primary winner will be among the most important Republican candidates in this year鈥檚 midterm elections, with a chance to help the party preserve its thin Senate majority by ousting Ossoff.
From football to politics
Dooley is the son of legendary University of Georgia football coach Vince Dooley. Derek Dooley worked as a lawyer before he started coaching. He led the University of Tennessee but was fired after a losing record. He then worked as an assistant coach for other colleges as well as professional teams.
He stepped away from the sidelines after the 2023 season, and Dooley said coaching people from a range of backgrounds will help him connect with Georgia鈥檚 diverse voting population.
鈥淚n my 30-plus years professional career, it鈥檚 never been about me in anything I was doing,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 about people.鈥�
Dooley said he got interested in politics during Biden鈥檚 presidency, when he was upset about lax border enforcement, economic policies and support for transgender athletes. He has criticized Ossoff over the same issues. Dooley said he resumed voting in 2022, when he backed Kemp for governor, and he voted for Trump in 2024.
Republican strategist Brian Robinson said 鈥測ou can tell this wasn鈥檛 a guy who spent his life in politics or around politics or consumed by politics.鈥�
Kemp was close with Dooley鈥檚 family growing up, and he endorsed Dooley for Senate, putting establishment heft behind the political novice.
鈥淚 was looking for a political outsider, and it just happened to be a guy that I鈥檝e known for, you know, 50-plus years,鈥� Kemp said on stage with Dooley during an event with the Atlanta Young Republicans on Thursday.
Kemp and Dooley drew cheers from many in the crowd. Several people at the event said they had not decided on their primary choice but appreciated Dooley鈥檚 outsider perspective.
The relationship between Dooley and Kemp does not impress others.
鈥淐ompletely siloing yourself with the old, establishment governor is not a way to say you鈥檙e an outsider,鈥� said Courtlyn Cook, chair of the Glynn County Republicans in southeast Georgia. She said voters will remember that Kemp and Trump have not always , a key issue when the president enjoys deep support from the party’s base.
Dooley鈥檚 ties with Kemp are a target for political opponents.
Devon Cruz, senior communications adviser for the Democratic Party of Georgia, described Dooley as someone with 鈥渁ccess to the Governor鈥檚 political machine.鈥� Harley Adsit, a spokesperson for Carter鈥檚 campaign, called Dooley the 鈥渦ltimate insider.鈥�
Lack of experience could help or hurt
Canton voter Vanessa Artigas, 53, likes Kemp and understands why some of her friends used to not vote, so she will likely support Dooley.
鈥淚 think we need to get career politicians out and get the voice of the people in,鈥� said Artigas, who attended a local event for the conservative organization Turning Point Action.
University of West Georgia student Timothy Jackson, 19, is planning to vote for Collins because of his close ties to Trump, but is open to Carter.
鈥淏oth of them have been in Congress and so they know what it takes,鈥� Jackson said. 鈥淒ooley is going to be hard because he鈥檚 never been in that position before.鈥�
A Kemp-linked group funded an advertisement for Dooley last fall blaming Collins and Carter for the government shutdown, lumping them in with Ossoff.
Carter, a pharmacist, has been a political fixture along Georgia鈥檚 coast for nearly three decades. Collins is a trucking company co-owner and the son of a former congressman.
鈥淩epublicans are going to face an uphill battle, but Dooley doesn鈥檛 bring the baggage that other candidates could possibly bring and can speak not only to voters on the right and Republicans, but the voters in the center who will make the decision,鈥� said longtime Republican consultant Jason Shepherd. 鈥淛on Ossoff has a voting record that Dooley can run on and pick apart. Dooley does not.鈥�
Dooley said he wants to boost workforce training and reduce home prices by cutting back government regulation. He also praised the Trump administration鈥檚 capture of Nicol谩s Maduro, who was ousted as Venezuela’s president by the U.S. military in January, and blamed immigrants for reducing the number of available homes for U.S. citizens. Dooley promised to introduce legislation to prevent lawmakers from using taxpayer money to send campaign-related materials, which he Collins of doing improperly.
A spokesperson for Collins said his actions were approved by the House Communications Standards Commission, and he criticized Dooley as 鈥渁 washed-up lawyer and failed coach.鈥�
Robinson, the GOP strategist, said Dooley will need to explain to Georgians why being an outsider matters enough to earn their votes.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a well-worn path. The saliency of that message probably depends on the mood of the country and the cycle that we鈥檙e in,鈥� Robinson said. 鈥淚 don鈥檛 think we know just yet if that outsider message is what people are looking for.鈥�
___
This version has been updated to correct the spelling Vanessa Artigas’ first name.
Copyright © 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, written or redistributed.
