Summary, continued
In a Marietta meeting of Democratic activists, Geoff Duncan presented his candidacy as a break from his record as a Republican and pitched himself as a potential bridge candidate for a Democratic primary in Georgia, where many Democrats are looking for a path to win the state’s top office. Speaking under the lights of an American Legion hall near Atlanta, Duncan apologized for past positions he said he got wrong—regretting opposition to gun control, saying he was sorry for fighting Georgia’s Medicaid expansion, and expressing “most remorse” about supporting abortion restrictions he described as among the strictest in the country.
Duncan said, “Unlike most folks in politics, I’m willing to say I’m sorry for that,” as he aimed to persuade newly adopted party members that his switch is substantive rather than strategic. His remarks came as he seeks the Democratic nomination in a crowded 2026 governor primary, with the contest seen as a key test for Georgia Democrats trying to end a long run of losing statewide top-of-ticket races.
Duncan has argued that winning requires expanding beyond the party base. He told the crowd, “You’ve got to win more than your base,” and said he is “the only one that shows up in this Democratic primary that’s building a big enough coalition of Democrats, independents, and this growing batch of disgusted Republicans.”
Duncan’s political background includes serving as lieutenant governor until the 2020 election, when he rejected President Donald Trump’s false claims about fraud. The AP report said Democrats have acknowledged that stand, noting he earned respect from some Democrats and campaigned for Kamala Harris in 2024. Now, his candidacy asks Democratic voters whether that earlier break with Trump can be enough to carry him through a primary where African American voters typically make up the majority and where Black women have particular influence.
The Democratic field includes six other candidates as Georgia prepares to pick a successor to Republican Gov. Brian Kemp. The AP report listed former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms, former state Sen. Jason Esteves, former elected state Labor Commissioner Michael Thurmond, and state Reps. Ruwa Romman and Derrick Jackson as additional contenders for the nomination.
Some Democrats said they are at least curious about Duncan’s chances while also debating his viability. Tamara Stevens, a Forsyth County Democratic activist north of Atlanta, said Esteves is her “ideal candidate,” but Stevens said she is also considering Duncan because she is seeking the most likely winner, saying, “I don’t have to agree with him on every issue. I don’t have to like him personally,” and adding that she wants “a candidate that can win.” Mindy Seger, a prominent Cobb County Democrat who attended Duncan’s meeting, described him as “relatable” but said she has doubts, saying, “I think people have trust issues. I do.”
Other Democrats raised questions about whether Duncan’s switch reflects deeper commitment. Fred Hicks, a Democratic strategist in Georgia, said Duncan kept identifying as a Republican while campaigning for Kamala Harris until he converted last August. Hicks said some Democrats fear Duncan could be “a Trojan horse,” saying, “It looks like he just wants to be in power and he couldn’t get there by being a Republican.”
Duncan’s approach also runs up against the dynamics of race and the composition of the Democratic primary electorate. Hicks said it would be “a bit of reach” to believe Black voters would choose Duncan over Bottoms, Esteves and Thurmond, whom he described as Black candidates. Duncan’s strategy, according to the AP report, is to court independents and Republicans who might cross over into the Democratic primary, noting that Georgia does not register voters by party.
In that context, Duncan said in Marietta that he had received 8,900 contributions from all 50 states, according to the AP report, and said he is campaigning to persuade voters rather than assuming support. He told the AP he is meeting Georgians “where they’re at and working to build the trust of every voter I meet,” and the AP report said he was campaigning Monday among small business owners and union members in Macon.
Democratic commentators also framed the decision facing voters in terms of electability versus ideological purity. Paul Begala, a Democratic commentator and political consultant, said Democrats alarmed by the Trump administration may look past purity tests in 2026, adding, “Electability is a more potent message in a primary this year than I have ever seen.” Begala said Democrats converting former Republicans will be key to Democratic victories in states like Georgia, Texas or Alaska, and he said, “You actually have to get people coming over to your side who used to be on the other side.”
Whit Ayres, a longtime Republican pollster and consultant, estimated that about 10% of Republicans remain deeply opposed to Trump, while warning that many of those people may already be voting in Georgia’s Republican primary, where Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger is running for governor. Ayres said he is skeptical that Democratic primary voters will think in terms of the general election rather than choosing the candidate who most closely aligns with their own views, arguing that former Republicans such as Liz Cheney and Duncan and George Conway will need to demonstrate they can win as Democrats before he expects broad belief.