HABERSHAM COUNTY, Ga. — Republican U.S. Senate candidate Derek Dooley stopped in Habersham County Friday as part of a listening tour focused on rural Georgia, pitching himself as a political outsider and drawing contrasts with Democratic Sen. Jon Ossoff, whom he hopes to unseat in 2026.
Dooley, a former college and professional football coach and attorney, said visits to counties like Habersham are central to his campaign strategy.
“You can’t understand Georgia if you don’t spend time in places like this,” Dooley said in an exclusive interview with Now Habersham. “This is where you listen, learn and hear what people are actually dealing with.”
Dooley and his family live in neighboring Rabun County. His wife, Dr. Allison Dooley, is an OB/GYN with MedLink in Clayton, a connection he said has given him firsthand insight into health care access challenges in rural Northeast Georgia.
From football and law to public service
Dooley said his path to politics was shaped by a mix of upbringing, professional experience and growing frustration with Washington.
He grew up around football as the son of Vince Dooley, the legendary University of Georgia head coach who led the Bulldogs to the 1980 national championship and won 201 games over 25 seasons. But Dooley said his exposure to public service came earlier, before his coaching career.
Before attending law school, Dooley worked in Washington for former U.S. Sen. Sam Nunn and later for Coca-Cola, experiences he said gave him an early look at what public service could be.
“That was my first real view of what it looked like to serve,” Dooley said.
After law school, Dooley practiced law in Atlanta before leaving the profession for a nearly three-decade career in college and professional football. He served as a head coach and athletic director and said coaching ultimately became his calling.
“I enjoyed the law, but something was pulling at me,” he said. “I realized it wasn’t what I wanted to do for the rest of my life.”
Dooley said the COVID-19 pandemic and recent political divisions prompted him to reconsider public service.
“I started seeing things in our country I never thought I would see,” he said. “Politics has moved away from solving problems for the people who elected you and toward protecting political careers.”
An outsider message shaped by coaching
Dooley has leaned heavily on his background in athletics to frame his outsider candidacy, arguing that coaching instilled accountability, leadership and an ability to listen across differences.
“In coaching, you’re in a results-driven world with high accountability,” Dooley said. “If you don’t deliver, you don’t have a job. I’ve been on both ends of that.”
He said recruiting required connecting with families from all backgrounds and earning their trust over time.
“You spend a lot of time sitting in living rooms and kitchens with people from all walks of life,” he said. “Race, income, religion or politics didn’t matter. You’re listening to their dreams and their obstacles.”
Dooley said those experiences stand in contrast to what he sees in Washington.
“I think a lot of people in D.C. lose touch,” he said. “They get caught up in politics instead of solving problems for the people they’re supposed to represent.”
‘Georgia First’ and leadership philosophy
Dooley said his campaign slogan, “Georgia First,” reflects a leadership approach that prioritizes constituents over political ambition.
“To me, it means putting the people of Georgia ahead of my own political career,” he said. “The most important thing a leader can have is moral courage — the willingness to do what’s right even when it’s not politically safe.”
He pointed to Gov. Brian Kemp’s leadership during the COVID-19 pandemic as an example of decision-making rooted in listening rather than politics.
“He listened to the people of Georgia and did what he believed was right for the state,” Dooley said. “That’s the kind of leadership I want to bring to Washington.”
Economy, agriculture and business
Dooley said his economic views have been shaped by traveling the state and listening to business owners.
“I’ve probably put 15,000 miles on my truck since August,” he said. “This process has been about asking questions, listening and learning.”
He said Georgia’s economy depends on agriculture, the military, small businesses and large industries, and that federal overregulation often hinders growth.
“When I ask people how the federal government can help, eight out of 10 times the answer is the same — get out of the way,” Dooley said.
At the same time, he said federal support remains important in certain areas.
“There are times when government needs to be a strong advocate, especially for agriculture and the military,” he said. “You have to know when to help and when not to interfere.”
Health care costs hit close to home
Health care affordability and access, particularly in rural areas, emerged as a central theme during Dooley’s stop in Northeast Georgia.
“My wife is a physician, and we live in Rabun County, so we see these challenges firsthand,” Dooley said. “Health care is in a very difficult place right now.”
Dooley criticized Washington for what he described as political gridlock on health care issues.
“These problems sit untouched until they become political flashpoints,” he said. “Instead of working together over time, everything becomes about elections.”
He said patients and doctors are increasingly squeezed by rising costs and lack of transparency.
“This is the only industry where you often don’t know what something costs until after the service is delivered,” Dooley said.
Dooley also cited personal experience navigating the health care system as the parent of a child with special needs and a son with Type 1 diabetes.
“When you change jobs or insurance, you’re starting over every time,” he said. “For families, that can be overwhelming.”
Infrastructure and rural investment
On infrastructure, Dooley said the federal government should support states rather than dictate local priorities.
“The best use of federal money is often to grant it to the states,” he said. “States understand their needs better than Washington.”
He said the federal government still has a role in national transportation systems, rural broadband expansion and health care access.
“In rural areas, the economics don’t always work on their own,” Dooley said. “That’s where federal incentives can help, especially to attract doctors and health care providers.”
Contrasting with Ossoff
Dooley said his campaign will draw a clear contrast with Ossoff, particularly on issues affecting rural Georgia.
“I think Senator Ossoff is a big-city politician,” Dooley said. “I don’t think he understands rural communities like this.”
He pointed to Ossoff’s voting record as evidence of that disconnect.
“In football, we say your film is your résumé,” Dooley said. “Your actions speak louder than what you say.”
Dooley cited Ossoff’s voting alignment with the Biden administration and positions on border security, inflation and federal spending.
“This isn’t personal,” he said. “But voters deserve to understand what their senator actually represents.”
Building a statewide coalition
With a competitive Republican primary ahead, Dooley said his goal is to unite the party while appealing to voters beyond its base.
“You have to energize Republican voters,” he said. “But you also need someone who can connect with people who don’t always vote Republican or don’t always turn out.”
He said that skill — earning trust over time — is one he developed as a coach.
“That wasn’t a sales pitch,” Dooley said. “It had to be earned.”
As he continues his campaign across Georgia, Dooley said visits to counties like Habersham will remain a priority.
“This is where you learn what Georgia actually needs,” he said.
