ATHENS — Standing beside his hand-picked candidate for U.S. Senate, Gov. Brian Kemp on Saturday formally endorsed former football coach Derek Dooley’s campaign, surrounded by red-and-black clad fans just steps from the stadium where Dooley’s father became a Georgia legend.
For the first time in public, Kemp explained why he recruited the political newcomer over more seasoned rivals to take on Democratic Sen. Jon Ossoff. He said Dooley was the only Republican who can keep the spotlight on Ossoff’s “terrible record” of backing President Joe Biden.
“We need a candidate that can stay focused on that record,” he said, “and not have to worry about defending their own.”
Kemp added: “Long before I ever knew Derek might be interested in something like this, that I thought this race was really suited for a political outsider. I didn’t know who that was going to be, but we know who that is now, and Derek has my full support.”
Credit: Jason Getz / Jason.Getz@ajc.com
Credit: Jason Getz / Jason.Getz@ajc.com
It was the first time Kemp and Dooley campaigned publicly together — though the governor’s support for the ex-coach was no secret — and the setting was purposeful. The son of legendary UGA coach Vince Dooley, Derek Dooley is better known to most voters for his gridiron background than his political one. And Dooley embraced it as he pummeled the Democrat.
“What’s amazing is that he wants to be our quarterback for the next six years,” Dooley said. “And where I come from, when you deliver results like that, your ass goes on the bench.”
For Dooley, the symbolism carries extra weight. While his GOP rivals are trying to turn his coaching record into a liability, he’s insisted he won’t shy away from his gridiron past. The rally at Georgia’s home opener against Marshall University marked his first major campaign event.
That hasn’t stopped his GOP opponents, U.S. Reps. Buddy Carter and Mike Collins, from mocking his decades-long coaching experience — and, particularly, his losing record as Tennessee’s head coach.
Collins has leaned hardest into the attack. Even before Dooley entered the race, his supporters launched a faux website ridiculing Dooley’s record. On Friday, his campaign rolled out a “Dawgs for Mike” group — complete with an image of Dooley in Tennessee orange.
As for Ossoff, he has mostly focused on his own bid, centered on opposition to President Donald Trump’s main priorities but also a call for political pragmatism where possible.
The governor’s support for Dooley is more than just a simple endorsement. He is putting the weight of his political machine behind his bid. And on Friday, he told donors on a private call that he’s backing Dooley because he worries Carter and Collins will falter against Ossoff.
“Another congressman from a heavily Republican district with a congressional voting record isn’t going to work,” Kemp said, adding that Dooley “can connect with people” and bring a fresh perspective to Washington.
“While he may not have a political background, he has been tested more than most.”
Dooley wasn’t the only candidate pressing the flesh at Saturday’s opener against Marshall. Other campaigns also stumped among the tens of thousands of fans pouring into Athens, a potent reminder that few symbols resonate in Georgia politics quite like the Bulldogs.
For candidates, the Bulldogs brand offers more than visibility. It humanizes them and ties them to a wildly popular cause — so long as they steer clear of the Georgia-Georgia Tech rivalry. (On the campaign trail in 2022, Kemp liked to joke that even his Yellow Jacket supporters forgive his Bulldog loyalties.)
It helps explain why there’s a long history of politicians flocking to football Saturdays. In 2014, Democrat Jason Carter steered his campaign bus to Jacksonville, Florida, to greet the Bulldog faithful before the Georgia-Florida showdown.
Credit: ccompton@ajc.com
Credit: ccompton@ajc.com
A year later, Florida Gov. Jeb Bush made stops in Athens and Knoxville, Tennessee, for Georgia games on an “SEC selfie tour” as part of his presidential campaign. Herschel Walker, the GOP’s 2022 Senate nominee, rarely missed a chance to turn his football stardom into political capital. (He was on hand at the game Saturday, leading a raucous pregame cheer.)
The spotlight can also cut the other way. In 2018, Democrats flew a banner over Sanford Stadium during a Kemp rally accusing the governor of secretly rooting for Tennessee.
The Kemp-Dooley event Saturday went off without any similar theatrics, as the two plunged into a group of Athens-area tailgaters, who welcomed the two Republicans with offers of grilled burgers and home baked cookies.
“To beat an incumbent U.S. senator is not easy,” Kemp said. “But we know there’s a path to do it. And we got the guy who can do it. If we didn’t, I wouldn’t be standing right here.”
Credit: Jason Getz / Jason.Getz@ajc.com
Credit: Jason Getz / Jason.Getz@ajc.com
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