ATLANTA — Former Georgia Lt. Gov Geoff Duncan announced his candidacy for Georgia governor on Tuesday. The former Republican will run as a Democrat.
“Georgians deserve leaders with the courage to take on Donald Trump and do what’s right,” Duncan said in a statement. “As Georgia’s first Democratic governor in 28 years, I will stand up to Trump and his yes men in our state while bringing down the costs of childcare, health care, and housing so every Georgia family is in the best position possible. That’s what Georgia deserves.”
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Duncan joins a crowded field for the Democratic primary. Former DeKalb County CEO Michael Thurmond, state Rep. Derrick Jackson, state Sen. Jason Esteves, former pastor Olujimi Brown and former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms are also running.
On the Republican side, current Lt. Gov. Burt Jones and Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr have announced their campaigns. Other potential candidates have filed the paperwork, per the Georgia Ethics Commission database, but have not officially announced.
After his announcement on Tuesday, Duncan told Channel 2 Action News at 6:00 p.m. he feels he is the candidate with the best chance to win in November.
“I’ll be the only candidate in the Democratic primary that can get Democrats, independents and disgusted Republicans to show up and vote,” he said.
Duncan knows it’s a crowded field of Democrats. He emphasized why he feels the party must win.
“If a Democrat doesn’t win this race, Donald Trump will by default become the next governor of Georgia,” Duncan said. “He’ll run everything because that’s the only way a Republican’s able to get out of that primary is to endorse every idea of Donald Trump’s even when they’re horrible.”
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Duncan hinted at a run for higher office in Georgia last month in an exclusive interview with Channel 2 Action News at 6:00.
Duncan cited a series of reasons for his decision to become a Democrat, including his opposition to President Donald Trump’s influence on the Republican party. Duncan had also campaigned for Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris and spoke at last year’s Democratic National Convention.
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