Former Lt. Gov. Geoff Duncan was once seen as a surefire Republican candidate for higher office. Now he’s running for governor — as a Democrat.
In an exclusive interview, Duncan told “Politically Georgia” why he’s joining the race — and how he believes he can win over voters across the political spectrum.
On how a former Republican can win a Democratic primary:
“You’ve got to have somebody who’s courageous enough to take on Donald Trump. He’s created a toxic environment. And I’ve certainly pushed back on him as hard as I possibly can. Democrats are in a unique position. There’s an opportunity to win for the first time in 27 years. And I think this is an opportunity for me to not only bring Democrats, but also independents and disgusted Republicans to vote for me in November 2026.”
On why he thinks he’s the best Democrat to join the race:
“I’m the only candidate in this primary that can actually show up in November 2026 and garner the votes to win. And it’s an important win for Democrats, because at the end of the day, Donald Trump will be the default governor of this state if one of his hand-picked puppets wins. That’s just the way this is going to crumble. Donald Trump will be in charge of our legislature. He’ll be in charge of our streets. He’ll be in charge of our schools. And I don’t think a majority of Georgians want that.”
On his platform:
“The governor of Georgia gets to set the focus on the budget, on the legislature, on the agencies. And I want to aim that focus on continuing to grow our economy and create high paying, quality jobs, but also to block and tackle the needs of those that need it the most. There’s an opportunity to take 10% of the state’s rainy day fund and laser-focus that directly on those that are in the most need.”
On his past support for abortion restrictions:
“I think the highest quality an effective leader can have is having the ability to say that they got something wrong. And I got it wrong. Women deserve the right to choose. And I’ve gotten here over the years because of the perspective I’ve gained. I’ve listened to women describe horrific stories of their health care journey. I’ve listened to the tough family situations that have arisen, the tough medical situations that have arisen.”
Credit: Arvin Temkar/AJC
Credit: Arvin Temkar/AJC
On why he now supports Medicaid expansion, which he once opposed:
“I think (Trump) has completely blown up the entire health care system. … The best opportunity to stabilize somebody’s health care is through Medicaid, if that’s something that they need.”
On his track record of backing gun rights expansions:
“Republicans have guns wrong. Absolutely wrong. I’m with the 90% of Americans that want to see universal background checks and 85% that want to have red flag laws … I’m not afraid to say I was wrong. And I’m not afraid to work in the right direction. As governor, we’ll look for opportunities to strengthen our gun safety laws in every which way possible.”
On his immigration stance:
“We saw in the last election cycle for president that a majority of Americans want an orderly, secure border. And I certainly think that’s a strong idea for our country. But these ICE raids are going inhumanely across our country … It’s hard for me to watch these scenes play out. I think it’s more about making a point than making a difference. And that’s a terrible place for such a big, important issue like immigration.”
On whether he supports limiting U.S. arms sales to Israel, which has divided Democrats:
“I think we need to do exactly that. We need to be able to find ways to better deliver humanitarian aid, leverage our international partners to try to figure out a way to get those hostages free. And we need to use all the means possible in diplomatic ways to get the war to come to an end.”
On whether there are Democratic policies that he still opposes:
“There’s an opportunity to have a better, more fruitful discussion around the transgender issue. We need to stop politicizing kids. And I think both sides are guilty of that. I just cannot stand to watch that discussion go where it’s going, because at the end of the day, there’s a kid involved.”
On Trump branding him a ‘total loser’ after he switched parties:
“Donald Trump is exactly what I don’t want to be. And I think millions of Americans, millions of Georgians are in the same exact place. … If I’m wrong then I’m going to lose an election. If I’m right, I think we’re going to see millions of Georgians show up and vote for something that they believe in.”
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