Kemp-backed Derek Dooley admits Trump lost Georgia in 2020 as GOP field vies for endorsement
Transparency shouldn't be controversial.
EXCLUSIVE – Georgia Senate candidate Derek Dooley privately acknowledged that President Donald Trump lost Georgia in 2020, according to exclusive audio obtained by the Washington Examiner.
The remark lands just three months before the state’s Republican primary and threatens to deepen divisions in an already volatile race. In a recording from a Feb. 6 campaign meet-and-greet in McRae-Helena, Dooley addressed attendees’ questions about Trump and the 2020 election.
“If you guys remember, this was a time where it was a tough time in Georgia politics back in 2020, 2022, the president lost Georgia,” Dooley said. “He got a little upset with Governor Kemp, and it’s a little bit why we’re in this mess we’re in right now.”
The comment puts Dooley at odds with rivals who have more forcefully echoed Trump’s election claims and underscores a loyalty divide at the center of the crowded Republican primary to take on Sen. Jon Ossoff (D-GA) in 2026.
After being contacted about the audio, a spokesperson for Dooley did not dispute the recording and instead emphasized the campaign’s broader message on election integrity.
“As Derek has said repeatedly, the 2020 election was rife with irregularities that understandably undermined trust among Georgians about the validity of our elections,” the spokesperson said. “That’s why Derek has been so supportive of the state’s efforts to clean up the process and restore trust in our elections in 2021. Georgia delivered for President Trump in 2024 and winning here in 2026 is vital to advancing his agenda, that’s why we need an outsider who can win in November — not another self-serving D.C. politician who will lose to Jon Ossoff.”
The private remark contrasts with Dooley’s more measured public posture. In a Feb. 5 interview with WMAZ in Macon, one day before the recorded event, Dooley avoided directly saying whether the 2020 election was free and fair when pressed by a reporter.
“Joe Biden was our president for four years. OK? And that’s the way it is,” Dooley said. Comparing the outcome to a tough loss in sports, he added that the focus should be on ensuring Republicans are not “in that position again,” pointing to the 2021 Election Integrity Act and Republican victories in 2022 and 2024.
Together, the comments highlight the delicate line Dooley is walking. Georgia’s Republican Senate primary is scheduled for May 2026. The race features three candidates maneuvering for Trump’s endorsement, which has not yet been issued.
The …
Transparency shouldn't be controversial.
EXCLUSIVE – Georgia Senate candidate Derek Dooley privately acknowledged that President Donald Trump lost Georgia in 2020, according to exclusive audio obtained by the Washington Examiner.
The remark lands just three months before the state’s Republican primary and threatens to deepen divisions in an already volatile race. In a recording from a Feb. 6 campaign meet-and-greet in McRae-Helena, Dooley addressed attendees’ questions about Trump and the 2020 election.
“If you guys remember, this was a time where it was a tough time in Georgia politics back in 2020, 2022, the president lost Georgia,” Dooley said. “He got a little upset with Governor Kemp, and it’s a little bit why we’re in this mess we’re in right now.”
The comment puts Dooley at odds with rivals who have more forcefully echoed Trump’s election claims and underscores a loyalty divide at the center of the crowded Republican primary to take on Sen. Jon Ossoff (D-GA) in 2026.
After being contacted about the audio, a spokesperson for Dooley did not dispute the recording and instead emphasized the campaign’s broader message on election integrity.
“As Derek has said repeatedly, the 2020 election was rife with irregularities that understandably undermined trust among Georgians about the validity of our elections,” the spokesperson said. “That’s why Derek has been so supportive of the state’s efforts to clean up the process and restore trust in our elections in 2021. Georgia delivered for President Trump in 2024 and winning here in 2026 is vital to advancing his agenda, that’s why we need an outsider who can win in November — not another self-serving D.C. politician who will lose to Jon Ossoff.”
The private remark contrasts with Dooley’s more measured public posture. In a Feb. 5 interview with WMAZ in Macon, one day before the recorded event, Dooley avoided directly saying whether the 2020 election was free and fair when pressed by a reporter.
“Joe Biden was our president for four years. OK? And that’s the way it is,” Dooley said. Comparing the outcome to a tough loss in sports, he added that the focus should be on ensuring Republicans are not “in that position again,” pointing to the 2021 Election Integrity Act and Republican victories in 2022 and 2024.
Together, the comments highlight the delicate line Dooley is walking. Georgia’s Republican Senate primary is scheduled for May 2026. The race features three candidates maneuvering for Trump’s endorsement, which has not yet been issued.
The …
Kemp-backed Derek Dooley admits Trump lost Georgia in 2020 as GOP field vies for endorsement
Transparency shouldn't be controversial.
EXCLUSIVE – Georgia Senate candidate Derek Dooley privately acknowledged that President Donald Trump lost Georgia in 2020, according to exclusive audio obtained by the Washington Examiner.
The remark lands just three months before the state’s Republican primary and threatens to deepen divisions in an already volatile race. In a recording from a Feb. 6 campaign meet-and-greet in McRae-Helena, Dooley addressed attendees’ questions about Trump and the 2020 election.
“If you guys remember, this was a time where it was a tough time in Georgia politics back in 2020, 2022, the president lost Georgia,” Dooley said. “He got a little upset with Governor Kemp, and it’s a little bit why we’re in this mess we’re in right now.”
The comment puts Dooley at odds with rivals who have more forcefully echoed Trump’s election claims and underscores a loyalty divide at the center of the crowded Republican primary to take on Sen. Jon Ossoff (D-GA) in 2026.
After being contacted about the audio, a spokesperson for Dooley did not dispute the recording and instead emphasized the campaign’s broader message on election integrity.
“As Derek has said repeatedly, the 2020 election was rife with irregularities that understandably undermined trust among Georgians about the validity of our elections,” the spokesperson said. “That’s why Derek has been so supportive of the state’s efforts to clean up the process and restore trust in our elections in 2021. Georgia delivered for President Trump in 2024 and winning here in 2026 is vital to advancing his agenda, that’s why we need an outsider who can win in November — not another self-serving D.C. politician who will lose to Jon Ossoff.”
The private remark contrasts with Dooley’s more measured public posture. In a Feb. 5 interview with WMAZ in Macon, one day before the recorded event, Dooley avoided directly saying whether the 2020 election was free and fair when pressed by a reporter.
“Joe Biden was our president for four years. OK? And that’s the way it is,” Dooley said. Comparing the outcome to a tough loss in sports, he added that the focus should be on ensuring Republicans are not “in that position again,” pointing to the 2021 Election Integrity Act and Republican victories in 2022 and 2024.
Together, the comments highlight the delicate line Dooley is walking. Georgia’s Republican Senate primary is scheduled for May 2026. The race features three candidates maneuvering for Trump’s endorsement, which has not yet been issued.
The …
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