Open Extended ReactionsFormer University of Tennessee football coach Derek Dooley on Monday announced his 2026 Republican bid for the U.S. Senate in Georgia against Democratic incumbent Jon Ossoff. Kemp turned to Dooley after deciding not to run for the seat himself. Dooley is the son of legendary University of Georgia coach Vince Dooley and was a lawyer before he went into coaching. Dooley would be far from the first football coach to run for office. Former Auburn football coach Tommy Tuberville was elected to the Senate in 2020 from Alabama and is now running for governor.