Former Georgia lieutenant governor Jeff Duncan has urged his fellow Republicans to vote against his party’s presidential standard-bearer, Donald Trump, and support President Biden instead.
Mr. Duncan, 49, who was president during Mr. Trump’s 2020 election machinations in the Peach State, expressed deep disappointment at the rallying of Republican leaders around Mr. Trump, 77.
“This idea is completely wrong.” In an editorial he wrote: Atlanta Journal-Constitution Monday article. “There will never be a rebuilding of the Republican Party until we emerge from the Trump era, and conservative (but not angry) Republicans like me have no choice but to pull the lever for Biden.”
The former lieutenant governor emphasized that he hopes Republicans will lock in majorities in both houses of Congress to block Biden’s policies in a second term.
He then went on to discuss well-known complaints about Trump, including the January 6, 2021 Capitol riot, election denialism, and Trump’s “conduct and character.”
“I get it. No one likes paying high taxes, and these protests are disturbing,” Duncan wrote. “Trump showed us what kind of person he is. We should believe in him. It’s impossible for him to change at 77 years old.”
Since coming to power in the Republican Party, Mr. Trump has managed to outmaneuver and even win over many of his Republican critics.
Trump has attacked Duncan in the past, calling him a “failed” lieutenant governor last year. In August 2023, President Trump suggested that Duncan should not testify before the Fulton County investigation into the 2020 election.
The 45th president faces 10 charges out of Fulton County for alleged 2020 election fraud in Georgia. He denies wrongdoing and maintains his innocence.
Duncan appeared to be flirting with No Labels, a group that explores the possibility of recruiting candidates from outside the duopoly to compete with Republican and Democratic presidential candidates.
eventually, he declined the invitation Subsequently, No Labels announced that they would not be crowned standard bearers in the 2024 cycle.
Duncan also made headlines in 2022. he announced that he would not In the midterm elections, voters will vote for either incumbent Sen. Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.) or Republican former football player Herschel Walker.
Despite his tendency to go against convention, Duncan describes himself as a true Republican.
“Unlike Trump, I’ve been a Republican all my life. This November, I’m going to vote for a sane person who I disagree with when it comes to policy towards criminal defendants who have no moral compass,” he added. Ta.
The newspaper has contacted the Trump campaign for comment.
The Biden-Harris campaign spent little time promoting Duncan’s op-ed, praising him and emphasizing that the president welcomes disaffected Republicans into the campaign.
“Our campaign is committed to defending our country and democracy over blind loyalty to Donald Trump and his self-centered campaign for revenge and retribution,” campaign spokesman James Singer said in a statement. “We welcome and actively encourage Americans like Jeff Duncan to make this a priority.”
“Lt. Gov. Duncan and those who share the values of defending American democracy, upholding the rule of law, treating each other with civility, dignity and respect, and striving to find common ground,” Biden said. It has a place in the president’s vision for America.”
