The former lieutenant governor of Georgia has indicated he might seek a higher office as a Democrat after leaving the Republican Party, pointing to long-standing policy disagreements and personal changes.
Jeff Duncan, a Republican who held office in Georgia from 2019 to 2023, is contemplating potential bids for higher political roles after his switch to the Democratic Party. According to remarks made to WSB-TV, he mentioned that decisions regarding his political future could unfold “in the coming weeks or months.”
“I think Georgians want people who can tell the truth in the middle,” Duncan stated, although he hasn’t specified which role he’s considering. Some speculate he may run for governor in 2026, coinciding with the end of Governor Kemp’s term.
Duncan previously served from 2013 to 2017 in a Georgia legislative seat. Among those already running for governor are former Atlanta mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms, who was part of the Biden administration, along with Republican Lieutenant Colonel Burt Jones and state Attorney General Chris Kerr.
In an Op-Ed in The Atlanta Journal Constitution, Duncan discussed how his shift to the Democratic Party began prior to former President Trump’s attempts to overturn the 2020 election results. He mentioned his differences with the GOP regarding healthcare, gun control, immigration, and support for low-income families.
“My journey to being a Democrat started well before Donald Trump’s election challenges in Georgia,” Duncan remarked. “My decision stemmed from my ongoing struggle to love my neighbors as a Republican.”
He also criticized the reductions in Medicaid and SNAP benefits, along with the aggressive deportation policy during Trump’s presidency. Duncan supports border security and the deportation of felons but believes in providing pathways to citizenship for other undocumented immigrants.
Duncan’s political shift follows earlier criticism from Georgia Republicans regarding his backing of President Biden in the 2024 race and his opposition to certain GOP figures like Jones and Herschel Walker, a 2022 Senate candidate. He also spoke favorably of Vice President Kamala Harris at the Democratic National Convention.
In response to Duncan’s announcement, Georgia Republican Chairman Josh McConne told WSB-TV, “Jeff Duncan has openly discussed what many have known for years. He’s a Democrat now.”
Trump, taking to social media, labeled Duncan a “complete loser” and suggested that his departure from the Republican Party was welcome. “Good riddance, Jeff,” he commented.
A critic of Trump since the events of January 6, 2021, Duncan has called for the GOP to “move on” from the former president, referring to him as a “terrifying human.” He argues that the party must purge itself of “Trumpism.”
Duncan conveyed that his time in office taught him that effective public policy is one way to “love your neighbors,” referencing his initiatives like the Georgia rural hospital tax credit program and a bipartisan hate crimes law. “The reasons for my becoming a Democrat are growing,” he wrote. “Most importantly, it allows me to better love my neighbor every day.”
