Political Rewind: Once a rising star in GOP, Lt. Gov. Geoff Duncan says party needs new path forward

Credit: Photo by Jeremy Harwell

Friday on Political Rewind: Lt. Gov. Geoff Duncan is viewed as an outsider by many in his own party. The Republican from Alpharetta, Ga., has been at odds with Republican leaders over the rhetoric of former President Donald Trump. Duncan publicly spoke out against the conspiracy theories and lies spread by Trump and his allies in the Republican Party following defeats in the 2020 elections.

In his new book, GOP 2.0: How the 2020 Election Can Lead to a Better Way Forward for America's Conservative Party, Duncan recalls the journey he took to becoming a pariah within the GOP and urges for a new direction forward for the Republican Party.

He argues the party needs to blend conservative policy with empathy and a respectful tone in order to stay relevant in future elections. The harsh, acidic rhetoric of the Trump presidency, he says, needs to be left behind.

"I don't disagree with a majority of the policies that Donald Trump stood for," Duncan said. "He just literally forgot to remind 350 million Americans about those policies. He just wanted to pick on people for the last six months of this campaign cycle."

In addition to the book, Duncan also launched a website for his movement, which he promises will bring "a fresh and reasoned approach to creating Republican majorities." He says his goal is to build enough support among voters and party officials to gain influence in the 2024 election cycle. 

"We've got to convince tens of millions of folks that this is the direction, this is the path forward, for the party," he said. "And you know, we're going to take the next three years to do that."

With appearances across the nation on his book tour and on cable news, some analysts say Duncan might be attempting to build a national brand that could help him to a presidential bid for office. On whether he would like to see his name considered for a future Republican presidential primary, Duncan said he be honored.

"But that is so far from anything that me or my wife would be thinking about at this point," he said.

Panelists:

Lt. Gov. Geoff Duncan – 12th Lt. Gov. of Georgia, Former state Representative from the 26th District

Patricia Murphy – Columnist, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution