Georgia Governor Campaigns for Derek Dooley in U.S. Senate Primary
Governor Brian Kemp campaigned for Derek Dooley at a Canton barbecue restaurant, arguing the former football coach’s outsider status makes him the best Republican choice to challenge Senator Jon Ossoff.
CANTON, GEORGIA — Governor Brian Kemp toured metro Atlanta on Monday to campaign for former Tennessee football coach Derek Dooley in Georgia’s Republican U.S. Senate primary, as the race enters its final weeks before voting begins.
Kemp made his case for Dooley during a stop at Williamson Brothers Bar-B-Q in Canton, where the governor argued that an outsider candidate would be best positioned to challenge Democratic Senator Jon Ossoff in the general election. Republicans will select their nominee in the May 19 primary election, with early voting beginning April 27.
Governor Backs Political Outsider Strategy
Speaking to a crowd of Republican voters in the dimly-lit dining room, Kemp pointed to recent GOP Senate victories by political newcomers as evidence for his strategy. He cited the wins by Dave McCormick in Pennsylvania, Bernie Moreno in Ohio, and Tim Sheehy in Montana, all of whom he described as political outsiders before taking office.
“It takes an outsider that doesn’t have to worry about defending their political record or other things, to stay on offense, to tell people the real story about these guys and the real story about Jon Ossoff,” Kemp said. “That’s what I think Derek Dooley can do. The other thing is he’s running for the right reasons. He’s running because he has pride in the country. He wants to make Congress work again, bring a different mindset to Washington, D.C. Lord knows we need that, in my opinion.”
Three-Way Republican Primary Battle
Dooley entered the Senate race in August with Kemp’s endorsement after the governor declined to run against Ossoff himself. The former football coach now faces two sitting Republican congressmen in the primary: Buddy Carter and Mike Collins.
The governor’s backing carries significant weight in Georgia Republican politics, particularly given Kemp’s personal relationship with the Dooley family. Both Kemp and Derek Dooley grew up in Athens, and Kemp has frequently said that Derek’s father, the legendary late University of Georgia football coach Vince Dooley, was like a second father to him.
Campaign Trail Continues
The Canton stop was part of Kemp’s broader tour of metro Atlanta on Monday as he works to boost Dooley’s campaign in the final stretch before early voting begins. The governor and first lady Marty Kemp were photographed greeting voters and restaurant staff alongside Dooley during the barbecue restaurant visit.
With less than a month until the primary election, the Republican candidates are making their final appeals to voters ahead of what promises to be a competitive race. The winner will face Ossoff, who is seeking his second term in the U.S. Senate, in November’s general election.
