Geoff Duncan facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Geoff Duncan
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| 12th Lieutenant Governor of Georgia | |
| In office January 14, 2019 – January 9, 2023 |
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| Governor | Brian Kemp |
| Preceded by | Casey Cagle |
| Succeeded by | Burt Jones |
| Member of the Georgia House of Representatives from the 26th district |
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| In office January 14, 2013 – August 28, 2017 |
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| Preceded by | Carl Rogers |
| Succeeded by | Marc Morris |
| Personal details | |
| Born | April 1, 1975 Atlanta, Georgia, U.S. |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse | Brooke Duncan |
| Children | 3 |
| Education | Georgia Institute of Technology |
Geoff Duncan (born April 1, 1975) is an American politician and businessman. He is also a public speaker. As a Republican, he served as the 12th Lieutenant Governor of Georgia from 2019 to 2023. Before that, Duncan was a member of the Georgia House of Representatives.
Duncan played college baseball for the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets. He then played professional baseball for six years. His baseball career ended because of a shoulder injury. After that, he started a business. In 2012, he was elected to the Georgia House. Duncan became lieutenant governor in 2018. He chose not to run for re-election in 2022. Another Republican, Burt Jones, took his place.
After the 2020 presidential election, Duncan was one of the few Republicans who openly disagreed with Donald Trump. Trump had claimed the election was unfair. After leaving office, Duncan became a political expert for CNN. In January 2025, the Georgia Republican Party tried to remove Duncan from the party. They also tried to stop him from running as a Republican. This was mostly a symbolic statement. Duncan has said he still sees himself as a Republican.
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Geoff Duncan's Early Career
Playing Baseball
Geoff Duncan went to Chattahoochee High School in Johns Creek, Georgia. He then attended the Georgia Institute of Technology. There, he played college baseball as a pitcher for the Yellow Jackets. In 1994, he played in the 1994 College World Series with Georgia Tech. His team lost in the final game. In 1995, he played summer baseball for the Yarmouth–Dennis Red Sox. This team is part of the Cape Cod Baseball League.
The Florida Marlins chose Duncan in the 1996 Major League Baseball draft. He was the 1,647th player picked overall. Duncan played in Minor League Baseball for the Marlins from 1996 to 2000. He reached the Triple-A level, where he was a relief pitcher. A shoulder injury ended his career. After that, Duncan stopped playing baseball and started a business.
Starting a Business
After his baseball career, Duncan became the chief executive officer (CEO) of Wellview Health. This company focuses on healthcare and wellness. After leaving public office, Duncan often appears on CNN. He shares his political opinions there. He also works as a public speaker for The Harry Walker Agency.
Serving in the Georgia House of Representatives
In 2012, Geoff Duncan successfully ran for a seat in the Georgia House of Representatives. He represented the new 26th district. In the Republican primary election, he won against former legislator Tom Knox. Duncan won by a small number of votes. He received 4,507 votes, and Knox received 4,452 votes. Duncan's campaign focused on creating jobs and reducing government spending. He also supported protecting Lake Lanier.
In 2014, Duncan ran for re-election and won. He defeated Knox again, getting 61% of the votes. He did not have any opponents from the Democratic Party in the main election. Duncan was re-elected again in 2016. As a state lawmaker, he helped pass "Michael’s Law." This law stops people under 21 from working as bouncers in bars.
Becoming Lieutenant Governor of Georgia
The 2018 Election
On April 10, 2017, Duncan announced he would run for lieutenant governor of Georgia. He left the Georgia House in September 2017. This allowed him to focus on his campaign for lieutenant governor in 2018. Many people saw him as an "underdog" candidate. He was running against David Shafer, who was a powerful state senator.
On May 22, 2018, Shafer received 48.9% of the votes in the Republican primary. Duncan came in second with 26.6%. Since no one got more than half the votes, the election went to a second round, called a runoff. This runoff election happened on July 24. Duncan knew it would be tough to win against Shafer. The runoff election focused on Shafer's past actions and some questions about his campaign.
On July 24, Duncan won the runoff election. He defeated Shafer with 50.16% of the votes. His victory was a surprise to many. He then won against the Democratic candidate, Sarah Riggs Amico, in the main election. He received almost 52% of the votes.
His Time in Office
Geoff Duncan became lieutenant governor on January 14, 2019. As lieutenant governor, Duncan worked with Governor Brian Kemp on healthcare plans. He also said he wanted Georgia to become a major technology center.
On December 6, 2020, Duncan and Governor Kemp released a statement together. They explained that it would be against the law to call a special meeting of the Georgia General Assembly. This meeting would have been to choose their own electors for the United States Electoral College. After efforts to change the results of the 2020 presidential election, Georgia Republicans passed a new law in March 2021. This law, called the Election Integrity Act of 2021, changed some voting rules.
A few days later, Duncan said in a CNN interview that the idea for this law grew from "the ten weeks of disagreements that came from former President Donald Trump." He explained that these disagreements started when Rudy Giuliani spoke in committee meetings. Giuliani spent hours sharing information that caused doubt.
In April 2021, Duncan's chief of staff said he likely would not run for a second term. This was because Duncan had openly disagreed with claims of election problems in 2020. On May 17, 2021, Duncan announced he would not seek another term. In October 2021, he visited New Hampshire to promote his book, GOP 2.0. This book talks about how the Republican Party could move forward after Trump. This trip made some people wonder if Duncan might run for president in 2024. Duncan later said he did not vote for either Raphael Warnock or Herschel Walker in the 2022 U.S. Senate election.
After Being Lieutenant Governor
In May 2024, during the time leading up to the 2024 presidential election, Duncan wrote an opinion piece. It was titled "Why I'm Voting for Biden and other Republicans should, too." This article appeared in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. He is now a full-time political expert for CNN.
In his article, Duncan said he supported Democratic President Joe Biden in the 2024 election. He also strongly criticized the likely Republican candidate, former President Donald Trump. Duncan described Biden as a "decent person" he disagreed with on policy. He compared this to Trump, whom he described as someone he disagreed with strongly on many issues. After Biden stepped aside, Duncan supported Kamala Harris. Duncan asked Republicans to support Harris's campaign. He gave a speech to them at the 2024 Democratic National Convention.
Removed by Georgia Republican Party
On January 6, 2025, the Georgia Republican Party's leaders voted to remove Duncan from the state party. This was because he supported Kamala Harris in the 2024 elections. The Georgia GOP asked news reporters to call Duncan "expelled Republican Geoff Duncan." Duncan responded online, saying it was not a good use of the party's time.
Duncan has said he still sees himself as a Republican. He believes he is trying to "save his party from Trump." According to the Washington Times, Duncan would not be allowed to run for elected office as a Republican.
Personal Life
Geoff Duncan and his wife, Brooke, live in Cumming, Georgia. They have three sons.
Images for kids
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Duncan as a candidate for the Georgia House of Representatives in 2012
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Duncan (right) with U.S. Senator David Perdue in 2019.
