ATLANTA — Former University of Tennessee head football coach Derek Dooley is telling us more about why he is running for U.S. Senate.
Dooley is one of the Republican candidates running against incumbent U.S. Sen. Jon Ossoff.
He sat down with Channel 2’s Richard Elliot for an exclusive interview on Tuesday about how he says he had to prove to his longtime friend, Gov. Brian Kemp, that he could cross the finish line before he got his support.
“I just think we need some Georgia common sense up there to help move this Trump agenda forward and keep our country moving in the right direction,” Dooley said.
The one-time head coach said he became interested in running for office after seeing the federal response to COVID-19 and he only made the decision to run for Senate when his Kemp declined to run, but said, he still had to convince Kemp he had what it takes.
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“I went through a long process with him, learning about what it takes to get over the finish line. So, he’s been a great resource for me, but the most important thing for me is earning the support of the Georgia people,” Dooley said.
Dooley remains vague on his campaign goals if elected, though he said he fully supports and wants to push forward the Trump agenda.
Like his political mentor Kemp, Dooley is trying to position himself as a Washington outsider even as he faces a bruising GOP primary against Rep. Buddy Carter and Mike Collins.
He said he had conversations with President Donald Trump before jumping into the race, though he declined to say what they were about.
“I’ve had conversations with the governor. I’ve had conversations with the president, but I certainly can’t go into all the details about that. Very positive,” Dooley said.
Carter’s campaign sent us this statement about Dooley:
“Buddy Carter wasn’t handed success from his father - he’s had to earn everything he’s got, just like the hardworking people of Georgia. As the only self-made Trump Conservative in this race, he has an America First record that came from serving Georgians - not Tennessee Rocky Top - and will continue to fight for lower taxes, a strong economy, and a secure border in the United States Senate. There’s one candidate who can beat radical liberal Jon Ossoff, and that man is Buddy Carter.”
Ossoff’s campaign also sent us a statement, saying:
“Less than three weeks on the campaign trail, failed and fired former Tennessee football coach Derek Dooley is already facing a nasty primary as Buddy Carter and Mike Collins slam his abysmal coaching record and his failure to vote over 20 years. Dooley’s campaign so far is as good as his coaching record, and that’s not saying much.”
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