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Geoff Duncan

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Not to be confused with Jeff Duncan, United States Representative from South Carolina.

Geoff Duncan
Portrait of Geoff Duncan in blue dress shirt with sleeves rolled up and red necktie, arms folded, in front of a U.S. flag.
12th Lieutenant Governor of Georgia
In office
January 14, 2019 – January 9, 2023
GovernorBrian Kemp
Preceded byCasey Cagle
Succeeded byBurt Jones
Member of the Georgia House of Representatives
from the 26th district
In office
January 14, 2013 – August 28, 2017
Preceded byCarl Rogers
Succeeded byMarc Morris
Personal details
Born (1975-04-01) April 1, 1975 (age 49)
Atlanta, Georgia, U.S.
Political partyRepublican
SpouseBrooke Duncan
Children3
EducationGeorgia Institute of Technology

Geoffrey L. Duncan (born April 1, 1975) is an American politician, businessman, and public speaker who served as the 12th lieutenant Governor of Georgia from 2019 to 2023. A member of the Republican Party, Duncan is a former member of the Georgia House of Representatives.

After playing college baseball for the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets, Duncan played professional baseball for six years, until a shoulder injury ended his baseball career. He went into business and was elected to the Georgia House in 2012. Duncan was elected lieutenant governor in 2018, but he did not seek re-election in 2022, with fellow Republican Burt Jones being elected to replace him.[1]

In the wake of the 2020 presidential election, Duncan was among the few Republican Party officials who openly and outspokenly criticized Donald Trump for falsely claiming the election was stolen. After leaving office, Duncan became a political commentator for CNN.

Early career

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Baseball

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Duncan attended Chattahoochee High School in Johns Creek, Georgia, and the Georgia Institute of Technology, where he played college baseball for the Yellow Jackets as a pitcher. He played in the 1994 College World Series with Georgia Tech, losing in the final round.[2] In 1995, he played collegiate summer baseball with the Yarmouth–Dennis Red Sox of the Cape Cod Baseball League.[3][4]

The Florida Marlins selected Duncan in the 69th round, with the 1,647th overall selection, of the 1996 Major League Baseball draft.[5] Duncan played in Minor League Baseball for the Marlins organization from 1996 through 2000. He reached as high as Triple-A, where he was being used as a relief pitcher, when a shoulder injury ended his career.[6] Duncan then retired from baseball and went into business.[7]

Business

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After retiring from baseball, Duncan became chief executive officer for Wellview Health, a healthcare and wellness company.[8] In post-public office life, Duncan serves as a frequent commenter on CNN, and is a public speaker with The Harry Walker Agency.[9]

Georgia House of Representatives

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Duncan successfully ran to represent the newly-created 26th district of the Georgia House of Representatives in the 2012 election.[10] In the Republican primary, he narrowly defeated former legislator Tom Knox, who held the seat before running for State Insurance Commissioner in 2010.

Duncan pictured as a candidate for the Georgia House of Representatives in 2012

Following a recount, Duncan was found to have won 4,507 votes to 4,452 received by Knox.[11] Duncan's campaign emphasized creating private sector jobs, reducing government spending, and supporting conservation efforts at Lake Lanier.[12]

In 2014, Duncan ran for reelection, defeating Knox in a rematch with 61% of the vote. He faced no opposition from Democrats in the general election.[13] Duncan was once again reelected in the 2016 election. As a state legislator, he helped lead efforts to pass Michael’s Law, a bill that forbids individuals under the age of 21 from working as bar bouncers.[14]

Lieutenant Governor of Georgia

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2018 election

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Duncan announced he would run for lieutenant governor of Georgia on April 10, 2017.[14] He resigned from the Georgia House in September 2017 to focus on running for lieutenant governor in 2018.[15][16] He was described as an "underdog" candidate against David Shafer, who had served as president pro tempore of the Georgia State Senate.[17]

On May 22, 2018, Shafer received 48.9% of the vote in the Republican primary with Duncan coming in second place with 26.6%. Because no candidate received a majority of votes, the election then went to a runoff held on July 24.[18] Duncan acknowledged that he faced an uphill battle against Shafer in the runoff election.[17] The runoff election focused largely on Shafer's record at the capitol and a number of ethical questions surrounding his candidacy.[19]

On July 24, Duncan, previously considered a longshot candidate defeated Shafer with 50.16% of the vote.[20] His victory was described as an upset by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.[21] He defeated Democratic nominee Sarah Riggs Amico in the general election, receiving nearly 52% of the vote and avoiding another runoff.[22]

Tenure

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Duncan was inaugurated lieutenant governor on January 14, 2019.[23] As lieutenant governor, Duncan highlighted efforts by the Kemp administration on healthcare policy, and stated his wish for Georgia to become the "technology capital of the East Coast".[24]

On December 6, 2020, Duncan and Governor Brian Kemp put out a joint statement explaining that calling a joint session of the Georgia General Assembly to appoint their own electors to send to the United States Electoral College would be unconstitutional.[25] Following unsuccessful efforts to overturn the election of Democratic candidate Joe Biden in the 2020 presidential election, in March 2021 Georgia Republicans enacted the controversial Election Integrity Act of 2021 that imposed new restrictions on voting.

Duncan (right) with U.S. Senator David Perdue in 2019.

Days later, Duncan said during a CNN interview that momentum for the legislation grew from "the fallout from the ten weeks of misinformation that flew in from former President Donald Trump. I went back over the weekend to really look at where this really started to gain momentum in the legislature, and it was when Rudy Giuliani showed up in a couple of committee rooms and spent hours spreading misinformation and sowing doubt across, you know, hours of testimony."[26]

In April 2021, Duncan's chief of staff stated that he was unlikely to run for a second term, after he openly contradicted false claims of election fraud in the 2020 presidential election. His chief of staff added that Duncan had yet to make a final decision about whether to run again in 2022.[27] On May 17, 2021, Duncan announced that he would not be seeking a second term.[28] An October 2021 trip to New Hampshire to promote his book GOP 2.0, which outlines plans for a post-Trump future for the Republican Party, fueled speculation in his home state that Duncan may be positioning himself to run for president in 2024.[29][30] Duncan said he did not vote for either Raphael Warnock or Herschel Walker in the 2022 U.S. Senate election.[31]

Post-Lieutenant Governor career

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In May 2024, during the lead-up to the 2024 presidential election, Duncan wrote an opinion piece titled "Why I'm Voting for Biden and other Republicans should, too", which appeared in the May 6, 2024 edition of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. He is now a full-time paid political commentator on CNN.

In the article, Duncan expressed his support in the 2024 U.S. presidential election for Democratic incumbent President Joe Biden, while strongly criticizing the GOP presumptive nominee, former Republican President Donald Trump. Duncan described Biden as a "decent person I disagree with on policy", which he contrasted with Trump, whom he characterized as "a criminal defendant without a moral compass".[32] After Biden stepped aside, Duncan endorsed Kamala Harris.[33] Duncan has urged Republicans to support Harris' presidential campaign,[34] giving a speech directed to them at the Democratic National Convention.[35]

Personal life

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Duncan and his wife, Brooke, live in Cumming, Georgia. They have three sons.[36]

Electoral history

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Georgia lieutenant gubernatorial Republican primary, 2018[37]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican David Shafer 268,221 48.91
Republican Geoff Duncan 146,163 26.65
Republican Rick Jeffares 134,047 24.44
Georgia lieutenant gubernatorial Republican primary runoff, 2018[38]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Geoff Duncan 280,465 50.14
Republican David Shafer 278,868 49.86
Georgia lieutenant gubernatorial election, 2018[39]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Geoff Duncan 1,951,738 51.63
Democratic Sarah Riggs Amico 1,828,566 48.37

Bibliography

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  • GOP 2.0 (2021)

References

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  1. ^ Prabhu, Maya T. "Republican Burt Jones wins Georgia lieutenant governor race". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. ISSN 1539-7459. Retrieved December 20, 2022.
  2. ^ Means, Laura (Summer 2019). "From Baseball's Star to the State's Second in Command: Geoff Duncan, Cls 97, Lieutenant Governor of Georgia". www.gtalumni.org.
  3. ^ Maclone, Justin (August 1, 1995). "Cards Holding Steady in Second". The Cape Codder. Orleans, MA. p. 12.
  4. ^ "Player Stats". Cape Cod Baseball League. Retrieved July 13, 2023.
  5. ^ "Geoff Duncan Minor Leagues Statistics".
  6. ^ "Former Pro Baseball Player and Businessman Geoff Duncan Qualifies | Alpharetta, GA Patch". Patch.com. March 8, 2018. Retrieved December 7, 2020.
  7. ^ Ruberti, Melanie (April 15, 2018). "Former pro pitcher taking aim at Lt. Governor's seat". Newnan Times-Herald. Retrieved January 14, 2019.
  8. ^ "Wellview Health adds CEO, executive VP". Nashville Post. April 28, 2016. Retrieved October 31, 2018.
  9. ^ "Schedule Geoff Duncan to Speak | HWA Speakers".
  10. ^ Bluestein, Greg (November 18, 2016). "Former pro baseball player turned Georgia legislator makes pitch for higher office". Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Retrieved July 1, 2018.
  11. ^ "It's Official: Murphy, Duncan Declared Winners". Cumming, GA Patch. August 9, 2012. Retrieved August 16, 2024.
  12. ^ Reports, Staff (February 9, 2012). "Geoff Duncan announces bid for Forsyth County's newly created 26th District". Appen Media. Retrieved August 16, 2024.
  13. ^ "Geoff Duncan announces bid for Forsyth County's newly created 26th District". Appen Media. February 9, 2012. Retrieved August 16, 2024.
  14. ^ a b Oldham, Robert (April 10, 2017). "State Rep. Geoff Duncan is Running for Lieutenant Governor". GeorgiaPol. Retrieved July 31, 2018.
  15. ^ Bluestein, Greg (August 28, 2017). "Duncan resigns to focus on LG bid—and slams Shafer 'charade'". Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Retrieved January 14, 2019.
  16. ^ Hughes, Isabel (May 3, 2017). "Businessman announces candidacy to replace District 26 state Rep. Geoff Duncan". Forsyth County News. Retrieved July 31, 2018.
  17. ^ a b Prabhu, Maya. "Duncan faces uphill battle against Shafer in lieutenant governor race". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. ISSN 1539-7459. Retrieved August 16, 2024.
  18. ^ "Election Night Reporting". Results.enr.clarityelections.com. Retrieved July 31, 2018.
  19. ^ Salzer, James (March 9, 2018). "Georgia legislator accused of sexual harassment by lobbyist". Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Retrieved July 31, 2018.
  20. ^ Darnell, Tim (August 2, 2018). "No recount in GOP lieutenant governor's runoff; Duncan declares victory". WXIA-TV. Retrieved January 14, 2019.
  21. ^ Hallerman, Tamar; Bluestein, Greg. "The latest: Duncan upsets Shafer in Lt. Gov. squeaker". Politics (The Atlanta Journal-Constitution). Retrieved August 16, 2024.
  22. ^ "Geoff Duncan set to become first-ever Georgia lieutenant governor from Forsyth County". www.forsythnews.com.
  23. ^ "Brian Kemp sworn in as 83rd Governor of Georgia". www.wtvm.com. January 15, 2019.
  24. ^ Mittelhammer, Megan (September 10, 2019). "Lt. Gov. Geoff Duncan addresses upcoming state legislation at Clarke County Republican Party meeting". The Red & Black. Retrieved August 16, 2024.
  25. ^ "Gov. Kemp, Lt. Gov. Duncan say no to special session over election, explain why". 11Alive.com. December 7, 2020. Retrieved January 13, 2021.
  26. ^ Murray, Sara; Morris, Jason (April 7, 2021). "Georgia's GOP lieutenant governor says Giuliani's false fraud claims helped lead to restrictive voting law". CNN.
  27. ^ "Georgia Lt. Gov. unlikely to run again after taking on Trump". AP NEWS. April 8, 2021. Retrieved April 10, 2021.
  28. ^ Bluestein, Greg (May 17, 2021). "Lt. Gov. Geoff Duncan, a Trump critic, will not run for a second term in 2022". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Retrieved May 17, 2021.
  29. ^ Murphy, Patricia; Mitchell, Tia; Bluestein, Greg (October 20, 2021). "The Jolt: Geoff Duncan for president?". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
  30. ^ Steinhauser, Paul (October 21, 2021). "GOP's 'short term sugar high in Donald Trump' won't last, Georgia's Republican lt. gov. predicts". Fox News.
  31. ^ Schonfeld, Zach (December 1, 2022). "Republican Georgia lieutenant governor says he couldn't vote for Walker". The Hill. Retrieved December 1, 2022.
  32. ^ Duncan, Geoff (May 6, 2024). "Geoff Duncan: Why I'm voting for Biden and other Republicans should, too". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Retrieved May 6, 2024.
  33. ^ Groves, Caleb. "Geoff Duncan endorses Kamala Harris and says he is 'committed to beating Donald Trump'". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. ISSN 1539-7459. Retrieved July 24, 2024.
  34. ^ Suter, Tara (August 14, 2024). "Georgia Republican urges more GOP support for Harris: 'Reclaim this country's future'". The Hill. Retrieved August 15, 2024.
  35. ^ Manchester, Julia (August 21, 2024). "Georgia Republican: Voting for Harris means 'you're a patriot'". The Hill. Retrieved August 21, 2024.
  36. ^ Prabhu, Maya T. (January 14, 2019). "'Outsider' no more, Geoff Duncan set to be Georgia's lieutenant governor". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Retrieved July 17, 2020.
  37. ^ "General Primary and Nonpartisan General Election". Georgia Secretary of State. Retrieved November 4, 2018.
  38. ^ "General Primary and Nonpartisan General Election Runoff". Georgia Secretary of State. Retrieved November 4, 2022.
  39. ^ "November 6, 2018 General Election". GA – Election Night Reporting. Georgia Secretary of State. November 10, 2018. Retrieved November 4, 2022.
[edit]
Georgia House of Representatives
Preceded by
Carl Rogers
 Member of the Georgia House of Representatives
from the 26th district
2013–2017 		Succeeded by
Party political offices
Preceded by Republican nominee for Lieutenant Governor of Georgia
2018 		Succeeded by
Political offices
Preceded by Lieutenant Governor of Georgia
2019–2023 		Succeeded by
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