Derek Dooley Skipped the Ballot Box for Years — Now He’s Telling Georgians to Vote for Him for the U.S. Senate

Atlanta, GA – Derek Dooley is campaigning as a political outsider in Georgia’s Republican Senate primary, but one glaring issue has critics questioning his credibility: he didn’t vote in major elections for nearly two decades. The former football coach has acknowledged that he did not vote for nearly 20 years, including in the 2016 and 2020 presidential elections. Dooley has said the demands of his coaching career kept him focused on football rather than politics.

Now, having suddenly found his civic voice while running for the Republican nomination to challenge Democratic Sen. Jon Ossoff, Dooley insists his late interest in politics makes him a fresh choice for Washington. But for many voters, the optics are awkward: someone who long abstained from participation in the democratic process is now asking Georgians to trust him to represent them. If Dooley hopes to turn this into a strength, he’ll first have to explain why two decades of disengagement qualifies him to urge others to the polls in 2026.

Some voters may question whether long-term disengagement from the electoral process undercuts his message about civic responsibility. Dooley has emphasized that he hopes to inspire more participation, warning that democracy requires vigilance from its citizens.

For now, Dooley’s campaign presents a paradox: a candidate who once sat out elections now urging Georgians to show up — and to choose him.