The Brief
Former Georgia Lt. Gov. Geoff Duncan has officially switched parties, announcing he is now a Democrat after years of clashing with GOP policies and Donald Trump.
Duncan cited Republican stances on health care, gun safety, immigration, and social programs as key reasons for his departure, saying they conflict with his moral values.
The Georgia GOP expelled Duncan earlier this year for endorsing President Biden and Vice President Harris and allegedly undermining Republican candidates.
ATLANTA - Former Georgia Lt. Gov. Geoff Duncan has officially cut ties with the Republican Party, announcing this week that he is now a Democrat.
The move comes after years of growing ideological rifts between Duncan and the GOP, particularly over issues such as healthcare, gun safety, and immigration policy. In an op-ed published in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Duncan described the change as a long, gradual shift rooted in both political and personal values.
"There’s no date on a calendar or line in the sand that points to the exact moment in time my political heart changed, but it has," Duncan wrote. "My decision was centered around my daily struggle to love my neighbor, as a Republican."
Journey began before 2020
The backstory
Duncan served as Georgia's lieutenant governor from 2019 to 2023 and previously represented Forsyth County in the Georgia House from 2013 to 2017. He opted not to seek re-election in 2022. His break with the Republican Party began well before President Donald Trump’s alleged attempts to overturn the 2020 election, which Duncan openly criticized.
"My journey to becoming a Democrat started well before Donald Trump tried to steal the 2020 election in Georgia," he said.
A vocal critic of Trump and the direction of the modern GOP, Duncan condemned the party’s handling of the COVID-19 pandemic, its embrace of conspiracy theories, and its rejection of basic governance.
Critical of Trump-backed legislation
What they're saying
Duncan’s announcement highlights several key policy areas that pushed him away from the GOP. He took aim at long-standing Republican talking points on healthcare, writing that GOP lawmakers have claimed the best way to get health insurance is to get a job — a stance he finds out of touch with economic realities.
RELATED: Lt. Governor Geoff Duncan attempted to sell a health care app concept to a state health care vendor
"So, the reality is they have a job, just the wrong job," Duncan wrote. "One that doesn't offer health insurance or generate enough spare money each month to afford their own health insurance plan."
He also criticized recent Trump-backed legislation, saying it slashes vital funding for Medicaid and food assistance programs, undermining efforts to care for vulnerable families.
Duncan called out the GOP’s stance on gun safety, pointing to polling that shows broad support for universal background checks and red-flag laws — measures that continue to stall in Republican-controlled legislatures. On immigration, he denounced the Trump administration’s mass deportation policies, calling them "a lesson on how not to love your neighbor."
"The list of reasons why I’m now a Democrat continues to grow," Duncan wrote. "Most importantly, my decision puts me in the best possible position each day to love my neighbor."
Expelled by Republican party
The other side
The Georgia Republican Party expelled Duncan earlier this year, citing what they described as repeated acts of disloyalty.
RELATED: Former Georgia Lt. Gov. Geoff Duncan breaks ranks, endorses Biden over Trump
The party’s resolution pointed to his endorsement of President Joe Biden in the 2024 race and, after Biden dropped out, his support for Vice President Kamala Harris.
RELATED: DNC 2024: Former Georgia Lt. Gov. Geoff Duncan tells Republicans, Independents to 'dump Trump'
Duncan was also accused of undermining GOP candidates including current Lt. Gov. Burt Jones and former Senate candidate Herschel Walker. Most recently, he appeared at the Democratic National Convention in support of Harris.
RELATED: Georgia GOP expels former Lt. Gov. Geoff Duncan over alleged disloyalty
Growing polarization
Big picture view
Duncan’s defection is another sign of growing polarization within American political parties and the increasingly high-profile exits from the GOP by leaders unwilling to align with Trump-era conservatism.
His public rebuke of Republican orthodoxy — particularly in a battleground state like Georgia — underscores the shifting dynamics of the 2024 election and beyond.
Plans for the future
What's next
Duncan has not announced any plans to run for office again, but his op-ed signals he may stay politically active. Whether his switch brings lasting political consequences or prompts others to follow remains to be seen.
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