Derek Dooley charts path between Trump loyalty and Senate independence
Republican U.S. Senate candidate Derek Dooley defended President Donald Trump’s military strikes against Iran while also arguing “it is Congress’ job to step up” and assert its oversight authority.
Dooley’s comments on the “Politically Georgia” podcast come as the candidate is trying to break through a competitive Republican primary by pitching himself as more than just another pro-Donald Trump conservative.
The former football coach is trying to tap into a deeper frustration with Washington by arguing Congress has become too feeble, too tribal and too willing to be dominated by presidents of either party.
“It doesn’t mean you don’t support the president,” he said of his approach. “But what it does mean is that Congress should be a lot more thoughtful as a body to work together and not just fall in line with everything either administration tells them to do.”
Dooley is sharpening that case in the final two-month stretch of a race against two top GOP rivals to take on Democratic incumbent Jon Ossoff.
He backed the administration’s aggressive foreign policy approach but said there comes a point when “Congress needs to get involved” in military decisions.
He endorsed Trump’s tariff strategy but said the legislative branch’s failure to assert itself is “another example of the ineptitude of Congress.”
He supports a Trump-backed voting overhaul but opposed weakening the Senate’s filibuster rules to pass it because it helps guard against “ping-pong politics.”
“The one thing that filibuster does is it forces us to have to work together to solve major policy and long-term decisions,” he said. “And the more we pull that out of our system, the more it becomes divisive and divided.”
He’s also rolling out a five-part contract with voters that he hopes cements his image as an outsider while touring the state this week with Gov. Brian Kemp, his most prominent political backer.
‘Something different’
It’s a core part of Dooley’s outsider-tinged argument in a GOP Senate race against MAGA-friendly U.S. Reps. Buddy Carter and Mike Collins as he makes the case that aligning with the president doesn’t mean acting as a rubber stamp.
Many polls show Collins leads the three-way primary contest with the support of about a third of likely voters, while Carter and Dooley are competing for a second spot in a potential runoff. But the biggest share of voters remains undecided.
Dooley is beginning his closing push with a tour with Kemp that began Monday in southeast Georgia. More appearances with the governor are expected ahead of the May 19 vote.
“Voters are ready for something different,” Dooley said. “And we’re confident that we’re going to be the last one standing.”
The winner will face a formidable Ossoff, who has built a massive campaign war chest and is aiming for frustrated swing and independent voters. The Democrat is aggressively tying all three GOP challengers to Trump, whose approval ratings have sagged among independents and swing voters.
Ossoff fine-tuned that message earlier this month at a Capitol rally shortly after he formally qualified for a second term.
“It’s clear that now more than ever, there is the need for checks and balances,” Ossoff told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
“This president is out of control, and my opponents will be his puppets. I’m going to continue fighting for our state, investigating and exposing the abuse of power and passing legislation that’s in our state’s interest.”
Dooley’s “Georgia First Contract” is meant to reinforce his outsider pitch. It includes an Ossoff-like ban on congressional stock trading, regular town halls and a pledge to serve only two Senate terms.
Dooley said he’s convinced term limits are the “most important step we can take as a country to change how Washington behaves,” even if they could limit his clout in a chamber that rewards longevity.
The biggest wild card remains Trump, who has remained neutral despite jockeying from the trio and their allies, including a personal plea from Dooley last year.
For now, the former coach said he’s focused on another powerful ally who has won statewide office in Georgia before without Trump’s blessing.
“I’ve been endorsed by the most popular governor in our lifetime: Gov. Brian Kemp,” he said. “And his leadership was an inspiration to me, especially during COVID and during all the challenges that Georgia went through. That’s the kind of leadership I want to bring to Washington.”
About the Author
Greg Bluestein is the Atlanta Journal Constitution's chief political reporter. He is also an author, TV analyst and co-host of the Politically Georgia podcast.
