Atlanta, January 18, 2026 — Former Georgia Lt. Gov. Geoff Duncan, now running as a Democrat for governor, made his pitch to community members at a recent gathering, emphasizing his transformation from Republican officeholder to Trump opponent while outlining an ambitious agenda centered on healthcare expansion, affordability, and standing up to the current administration in Washington.
Duncan, who served as lieutenant governor from 2019 to 2023 before leaving the Republican Party and announcing his Democratic gubernatorial campaign in September, used the intimate setting to address head-on both his political evolution and his vision for Georgia.
“I don't make excuses. I made a mistake, and I'm willing to stand in the room and talk about it,” Duncan said, referring to his previous opposition to Medicaid expansion and abortion rights during his time as a Republican. “But I'm also willing to lead us forward.”
A Changed Position on Healthcare and Reproductive Rights
In remarks that lasted more than 15 minutes, Duncan acknowledged his evolving views on key Democratic priorities. On abortion rights, he spoke candidly about his transformation, explaining that after Roe v. Wade was overturned, hearing difficult personal stories changed his perspective.
“I realized that there's no two-dimensional piece of paper, a law, is going to fit the nooks and crannies of that woman's life,” Duncan said. He pledged that on his first day as governor, he would sign an executive order clarifying that doctors can practice medicine without fear of prosecution and would work to repeal Georgia's six-week abortion ban.
On healthcare more broadly, Duncan committed to expanding Medicaid, calling it “the right fiscal thing to do, but it's the right humane thing to do,” citing the federal matching dollars available to the state.
The ‘Jumpstart Fund' Proposal
Duncan outlined plans to tap into Georgia's substantial rainy day fund, which he estimated at between $14 billion and $17 billion, to create what he calls a “jumpstart fund.” He proposed investing $1.7 billion — 10% of the rainy day fund — to help families trapped in cycles of poverty.
The fund would support childcare assistance, energy and transportation needs, and help offset what Duncan characterized as federal funding cuts under the Trump administration. “I don't look at them as handouts, I look at them as investments,” Duncan said.
Confronting His Republican Past
The former lieutenant governor didn't shy away from his history with current Republican Lt. Gov. Burt Jones, his likely opponent in the general election should both win their party primaries. Duncan recounted his decision to remove Jones from his committee chairmanship after Jones served as a fake elector in the 2020 election.
“When he asked me why I was removing him from the chairmanship of the insurance committee, I said, ‘If you're willing to lie about an election, how can anybody in the state trust you to run a committee as important as the insurance committee?'” Duncan recalled.
Duncan framed his candidacy as essential to defeating Jones in November. “I can assure you guys, I'm the only one in this race that could beat Burt Jones, and I will. I beat him before,” he said, referencing multiple instances where he blocked Jones's legislative initiatives.
The Trump Factor
Throughout his remarks, Duncan positioned opposition to Donald Trump as central to his campaign, describing Trump as “about one thing and one thing only: fear and intimidation.” He vowed to use legal challenges, similar to strategies employed by Democratic governors in California and Illinois, to push back against federal overreach.
“As governor, I'm not going to sit back and watch him run roughshod across our state,” Duncan said. “We're going to use the court system.”
Electoral Strategy and the Path Forward
Duncan acknowledged the challenging path ahead, predicting his Democratic primary race would likely end in a runoff against former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms. He argued that his appeal to Democrats, independents, and “disgusted Republicans” makes him the most electable Democrat in the general election.
He emphasized that his victory would have downstream effects, helping other Democrats win races and tightening Republican majorities in the state legislature. “If I win this race, it's not just going to be me winning this race. It's going to be Democrats in other districts being able to win,” Duncan said.
Addressing Controversial Issues
When asked about transgender rights — an issue he called difficult at the launch of his campaign — Duncan took a firm stance against Republican efforts to politicize the issue. He said decisions about transgender healthcare should be made between individuals, their families, doctors, and therapists, not by state legislators.
“There's absolutely no place in Georgia for discrimination. There's absolutely no place to demonize those folks,” Duncan said. He recounted telling an LGBTQ audience that while he would protect their rights, he wouldn't make it a campaign priority or use it for political advantage. “We don't need to put it aside,” he explained.
The ‘Stand Up' Message
Duncan closed his remarks by framing his candidacy as part of a broader call to action, invoking his decision to stand up to Trump's attempts to overturn the 2020 election as a defining moment.
“When I watched Donald Trump do what he was doing, not only try to steal an election but steal a country, I decided to stand up,” Duncan said. “But there's more to stand up to than just Donald Trump.”
He urged supporters to help amplify his message through their networks and contribute to his campaign, acknowledging that the race would require grassroots organizing rather than massive rallies to succeed in a statewide contest.
Duncan faces a crowded Democratic primary field that includes Bottoms, state Sen. Jason Esteves, former state Labor Commissioner Michael Thurmond, and state Rep. Derrick Jackson. On the Republican side, Jones and Attorney General Chris Carr are competing for their party's nomination.
Georgia has not elected a Democratic governor since 1998, when Roy Barnes won the office. The 2026 race represents Democrats' best opportunity in nearly three decades to reclaim the governor's mansion in a state that has become increasingly competitive in recent election cycles.
