Geoff Duncan, former Republican lieutenant governor of Georgia, has switched to the Democratic Party and is running for governor. He aims to become the state's first Democratic governor in 30 years. Duncan changed parties last year after facing criticism from Donald Trump for acknowledging Joe Biden's 2020 win in Georgia.
Geoff Duncan, who served as Georgia's lieutenant governor under the Republican banner, announced his candidacy for governor as a Democrat. He switched parties last year following backlash from former President Donald Trump. Trump targeted Duncan for admitting that Biden won Georgia in the 2020 election, a stance that strained his GOP ties. Duncan also failed in efforts to reform the party internally, prompting his shift to the other side along with changes to some political positions, as discussed in a recent Slate podcast episode hosted by Mary Harris. Duncan appeared as a guest to explain his run, positioning himself as a candidate reborn politically. The podcast highlighted his ambition to break a 30-year Republican hold on the governor's office. Georgia Democrats have welcomed the high-profile convert into their gubernatorial race. Duncan's move underscores ongoing partisan realignments in the state.