Dooley worked as a rancher and then as an administrative assistant for California State Senator Rose Ann Vuich from 1987 to 1990.

In 1990, Dooley won the Democratic primary for what was then the 17th District and faced six-term Republican Chip Pashayan in November.

Although Pashayan had been reelected with 71 percent of the vote in 1988, he was bogged down by the House banking scandal, and Dooley defeated him by just over 9 points.

On October 10, 2002, Cal Dooley was among the 81 House Democrats who voted in favor of authorizing the invasion of Iraq.

[2] Dooley is married to the former Linda Phillips, who heads the Bryce Harlow Foundation in Washington DC.