Gubernatorial candidate Geoff Duncan visits Macon, outlines plan to increase affordability

Duncan began his political career as a state representative and later served as lieutenant governor before being expelled by the Georgia Republican Party over his outspoken criticism of President Trump.

MACON, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – Former Lt. Gov. Geoff Duncan was at Anderson’s Diner in Macon Friday, working to convince voters he can be a unifier.

“I want to see a governor that builds consensus, that looks past the partisan divides, that turns chaos into conversations,” Duncan said. “To me, that’s what a majority of Georgians want. And that’s what a majority of Georgians need.”

Duncan began his political career as a state representative and later served as lieutenant governor before being expelled by the Georgia Republican Party over his outspoken criticism of President Trump following Trump’s efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election. Now running for governor as a Democrat, Duncan went after his Trump-endorsed opponent, Lt. Gov. Burt Jones (R-Ga.).

“If Burt Jones wins, he’s going to take the keys and hand them to Donald Trump,” Duncan said. “And this is going to be Donald Trump’s evil laboratory. He’s going to run our schools, our budgets, our legislatures, our streets. He’s going to do everything.”

Duncan vows to lower costs and expand Medicaid. If elected, he says he’d launch a $1.7 billion jumpstart fund, taking ten percent of Georgia’s “rainy day” reserve funds. Duncan says this would help Georgians struggling to afford housing and healthcare, and would help waive the state registration fee for first-time business owners.

“We’re going to take a portion of that fund and be able to waive the $100 registration fee for small businesses for the first time they start their first company,” Duncan said. “Georgia’s going to make a $100 investment in their first business by waiving that.” 

Duncan says his connections on both sides of the aisle and in the middle give him a unique opportunity to solve the biggest issues facing Georgians.

“As governor, we’re going to talk about issues that matter most and ignore this national political divide that continues to get worse and worse by the minute,” Duncan said. 

Duncan joins a crowded Democratic field for governor, all of whom are seeking to become the first Democrat elected governor of Georgia since 1998.