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Former Georgia Republican Lt. Gov. Geoff Duncan on Monday stated he’ll vote for President Joe Biden in November, arguing former President Donald Trump “has disqualified himself by his conduct and his character.”
“Not like Trump, I’ve belonged to the GOP my whole life. This November, I’m voting for a good particular person I disagree with on coverage over a felony defendant with out a ethical compass,” Duncan, a CNN contributor, wrote in an opinion piece printed within the Atlanta Journal-Structure.
Duncan advised CNN’s Laura Coates Monday night time that Trump “just isn’t a Republican” and “doesn’t signify our model.”
“Donald Trump’s not a Republican. He doesn’t signify our model. He doesn’t signify our future. He’s a horrible human being at this level, we’re watching that play out hour by hour within the courtroom,” Duncan stated. “It’s time to maneuver on. If we’re going to heal as a celebration and really get again to doing the issues that we should always do – and that’s be conservative however not offended or loopy or liars – we should always flip the web page instantly from Donald Trump.”
Within the op-ed titled, “Why I’m voting for Biden and different Republicans ought to, too,” Duncan outlined why he has determined in opposition to backing the GOP nominee. Whereas Duncan admitted Biden’s age is a priority for a lot of and his “progressive insurance policies aren’t to conservatives’ liking,” he wrote he was left with no different as he argued a second Trump time period would hinder the Republican Get together from shifting ahead.
“The GOP won’t ever rebuild till we transfer on from the Trump period, leaving conservative (however not offended) Republicans like me no selection however to drag the lever for Biden,” Duncan wrote. “The choice is one other time period of Trump, a person who has disqualified himself by his conduct and his character. The headlines are ablaze together with his hush-money trial over allegations of improper record-keeping for funds to hide an affair with an adult-film star.”
Duncan criticized fellow members of his celebration, together with Senate Minority Chief Mitch McConnell and New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu, calling it “disappointing to observe an rising variety of Republicans fall in line behind former president Donald Trump.” “This mentality is useless unsuitable,” he added.
Duncan additionally slammed Invoice Barr, as soon as an legal professional normal for the previous president who has since emerged as certainly one of Trump’s most outstanding critics, for not too long ago saying he would vote for the presumptive Republican nominee over Biden in November.
“Mockingly, having served as his legal professional normal till December 2020, Barr noticed firsthand Trump’s means to trigger harm. Barr’s declaration that the Justice Division uncovered no proof of widespread voter fraud that would change the end result of the 2020 election infuriated his boss and set off a series of occasions that ended with Jan. 6,” Duncan wrote.
“Trump has proven us who he’s. We should always consider him. To assume he’s going to vary on the age of 77 is past inconceivable,” Duncan later added.
Trump’s try and overturn the 2020 election in Georgia brought on Duncan and different Georgia GOP election officers, together with Gov. Brian Kemp and Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, to push back against Trump’s claims of fraud within the state.
Duncan was president of the Georgia state Senate when Rudy Giuliani and different Trump allies unfold conspiracy theories in regards to the 2020 election earlier than Georgia state lawmakers in conferences he stated at the time he didn’t “sanction.”
Final yr, he testified in front of the Fulton County grand jury that will later indict Trump and others for his or her makes an attempt to overturn the election within the state. Trump has pleaded not responsible to all felony fees he faces.
Duncan told CNN’s Jake Tapper after the 2020 election that Trump attacking Kemp and Raffensperger “disgusts” him and spoke in regards to the threats elected officers within the Peach State have acquired.
“All of us on this place have gotten elevated safety round us and our households and it’s not American, it’s not what democracy is all about but it surely’s actuality proper now. So, we’re going to proceed to do our jobs. Gov. Kemp, Brad Raffensperger and myself all three voted and campaigned for the president however, sadly, he didn’t win the state of Georgia but it surely doesn’t change our job descriptions,” Duncan stated.
In 2021, Duncan introduced he would not run for reelection in 2022, explaining he would as an alternative concentrate on reforming the GOP.
“We now have to maneuver on as Republicans, we now have to, and that is our first step to it. … I feel Georgians are going to vote in opposition to Donald Trump,” Duncan stated on “Laura Coates Stay.”
This story has been up to date with extra info.
CNN’s Jack Forrest and Rashard Rose contributed to this report.