Former Georgia Republican Lieutenant Governor Becomes a Democrat
Jeff Duncan, who formerly served as a Republican lieutenant governor in Georgia, has officially switched to the Democratic Party, stating that his ideological shift began long before the 2020 election.
“I began my journey to becoming a Democrat well before Donald Trump attempted to undermine the 2020 election in Georgia,” Duncan shared via social media.
Having served as lieutenant governor from 2019 to 2023, Duncan expressed in the Atlantic Journal Constitution that he felt unable to genuinely “love his neighbor” while aligned with Republican values.
During my time in office, I learned effective ways to extend love to my neighbors on a broader scale. I was instrumental in creating the current $75 million rural hospital tax credit as a state representative and collaborated with Democrats as lieutenant governor to successfully enact hate crime legislation.
He took a stand against Republican initiatives aimed at cutting waste and abuse in welfare programs, noting budget reductions for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and the importance of feeding programs for children in schools. He also raised concerns around issues like Medicaid, gun control, and immigration policies.
“Recent immigration policies have provided examples of how not to love your neighbor,” he claimed, criticizing U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations as a “military-style assault on undocumented families who are law-abiding,” suggesting that the intention is to spark social media frenzy.
It’s worth noting that he did not address that many individuals detained by ICE have serious criminal backgrounds, including offenses against children.
Duncan ultimately proposed a solution that involves securing borders, prosecuting undocumented immigrants for felonies, and determining pathways to citizenship for others.
“The reasons for my alignment with the Democratic Party keep increasing,” he said. “Above all, this choice positions me best to love my neighbor each and every day.”
This transition wasn’t entirely unexpected; Duncan had previously expressed support for former Vice President Kamala Harris during the last presidential election and participated in the Democratic National Convention.
