Bloomberg: “the issue could put a wedge between Dooley and the White House, while also serving as a loyalty test to Trump”
A new report from Bloomberg Government details how Donald Trump’s false claims of a stolen election could cause an even bigger divide in the already “combustible” and “splintered” GOP U.S. Senate primary and re-open the nasty rift between Trump and Gov. Brian Kemp.
While both “MAGA warrior” Buddy Carter and MAGA extremist Rep. Mike Collins have sided with Trump’s lies about the 2020 election, failed and fired former Tennessee football coach Derek Dooley “didn’t respond to multiple requests for comment on the topic of the 2020 election.”
Bloomberg: Trump’s Election Claims Create Loyalty Test in Georgia Primary
By: Mica Soellner | October 22, 2025
KEY EXCERPTS:
- President Donald Trump‘s 2020 stolen election claims are reemerging as an issue that could decide who he endorses in the hotly contested Georgia Senate primary — and ultimately, who wins the Republican nomination […]
- Trump’s decision to thrust the claims back into the spotlight could be particularly challenging for former University of Tennessee football coach Derek Dooley […] given the president’s long-running feud with the governor on the issue.
- “Ultimately, whoever the president of the United States endorses is going to win the Republican nomination for US Senate,” Rep. Austin Scott (R-Ga.), a close ally of Kemp’s, said in an interview, highlighting Dooley’s precarious position.
- Dooley, who has met with Trump in the Oval Office since launching his campaign, didn’t respond to multiple requests for comment on the topic of the 2020 election.
- Kemp has repeatedly said the 2020 election was not stolen from Trump, despite the president’s claims.
- Despite the disagreement, a Kemp adviser — speaking on the condition of anonymity to talk candidly — attempted to downplay the issue […]
- However, the issue could put a wedge between Dooley and the White House, while also serving as a loyalty test to Trump.
- Another GOP operative who has worked on Georgia elections said the 2020 election is still an issue that matters to Trump’s base, and it could be a factor in who the president sees as a true ally.
- “I won Georgia three times, but they say twice,” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office last week, disputing the fact Joe Biden won the state in 2020.
- Trump added he hasn’t made a decision on who to support in the competitive primary.
- Dooley’s main rival — GOP Rep. Mike Collins — seized on the issue after Trump’s comments last week in the hopes of scoring points with the president.
- “President Trump is right on both: Jon Ossoff is horrible for Georgia and we had three big wins,” Collins said on X. “I would know because I’m the only candidate in this race who was with him in all three elections.”
- Rep. Buddy Carter — who is also running in the primary — was among 147 House Republicans who voted to overturn the 2020 election results four years ago […]
- Trump and Kemp’s relationship was severely strained over the governor’s refusal to overturn the Georgia election results.
- In the aftermath of the election, Trump said endorsing Kemp for governor was “a mistake” and attacked him at several political rallies […]