Truth in the Barrel — "Devil's Cut: How To Do The Right Thing w/ Geoff Duncan"

Episode Date: November 18, 2025
Hosts: Amy McGrath, Denver Riggleman
Guest: Geoff Duncan (Former Georgia Lieutenant Governor, current Democratic candidate for Georgia Governor)

Episode Overview

This week's episode of Truth in the Barrel features an in-depth conversation with Geoff Duncan, former Republican Lieutenant Governor of Georgia, and now a Democratic candidate for Governor. Duncan opens up about his journey from professional athlete to entrepreneur to politician, his decision to stand against Donald Trump’s 2020 election lies, and, in a remarkable move, his switch from Republican to Democrat. The discussion delves into the motivations, challenges, and personal costs of "doing the right thing" in today’s polarized political climate.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Personal Background & Athletic Beginnings

[02:11]

• Geoff Duncan describes a childhood marked by frequent moves, which led him to latch onto sports as a way to build friendships and stability.
• He attended Georgia Tech on a baseball scholarship, played in the 1994 College World Series alongside future MLB players, and spent six years in the minor leagues—a period that instilled grit, adaptability, and resilience.

[04:01]

• Duncan draws parallels between professional sports and political life, emphasizing the tenacity required for both:

  "A political campaign is a lot like a professional baseball season. It takes a lot of tenacity... You've got to be your own cheerleader a lot of days."
  (Geoff Duncan, 04:01)

2. Path from Business to Politics

[03:09]

• After sports, Duncan shifted to entrepreneurship, founding and eventually selling a marketing business.
• Politics entered his life in 2012, motivated by a desire to be constructive, not just complain.

3. Taking a Stand Against Trump and Election Denialism

[05:52]

• Duncan reflects on his willingness to oppose Trump’s 2020 election claims, tracing it back to his bipartisan mindset and focus on problem-solving rather than partisanship:

  "My thought was, I'm going to stand up as quickly and as strongly as I can to stop this rumor so that it doesn't become a runaway freight train."
  (Geoff Duncan, 06:47)

[07:54]

• He reveals the granular, direct pressure applied by Trump and his allies to overturn the Georgia election ("individual calls to state senators," attempts to "just create doubts"). Duncan notes the genuine risk that even a short-lived public wavering could have tipped the scale.

4. Switching Parties: From Republican to Democrat

[09:31]

• Duncan’s family motto:

  "Doing the right thing will never be the wrong thing."
  (Geoff Duncan, 09:32)

• He explains his transition—spurred by Republican extremism and the party’s abandonment of genuine problem-solving:

  "If you're a Republican, you can't love your neighbor if they don't look like you, act like you, love like you, talk like you, vote like you."
  (Geoff Duncan, 10:23)

• Duncan committed to the Democratic Party for a better "toolkit to solve people's problems" and is running for governor to build a broad coalition, including independents and "disgusted Republicans."

5. Reflections on the Democratic Party

[12:24]

• Duncan is encouraged by Democrats' will to win and willingness to focus on core issues:

  "I'm staying focused on three things and three things only. The affordability crisis, the health care crisis, and the Donald Trump crisis."
  (Geoff Duncan, 12:57)

• He urges Democrats to maintain discipline and unity to win over Georgians.

6. State of the Republican Party & Moderation

[14:00]

• On moderate Republicans’ future:

  "That party's cooked for the foreseeable future. Donald Trump has absolutely broken the Republican Party."
  (Geoff Duncan, 14:36)

• Asserts it’s time for Democrats to "open up the tent doors" and invite moderates for long-term growth.

7. Political Courage and Social Costs

[16:06]

• Duncan shares the backlash faced—ostracism, lost friends, business setbacks, threats to his family:

  "I've lost business partners and deals and whatever else...if we don't start to make these sacrifices, then we're just gonna continue down this path of destruction."
  (Geoff Duncan, 16:49)

8. Evolving on Policy: Guns and Abortion

[18:41]

• On guns: Duncan regrets past positions, now fully supporting universal background checks, red flag laws, and practical gun safety laws—"the NRA doesn't have anyone's best interest at heart."

• On abortion: He confesses error in supporting restrictive abortion laws, influenced by party pressure. Now, he advocates for women's right to choose and pledges to protect doctors and repeal the six-week ban if elected.

  "There was no law that was ever going to figure out how to make those decisions for that woman."
  (Geoff Duncan, 19:52)

• Credits Kamala Harris for helping him frame abortion as a matter of personal conscience, not public policy.

9. Healthcare as a Central Campaign Issue

[22:42]

• Duncan argues the healthcare crisis affects all Georgians, criticizing Republican policies that force impoverished people into impossible choices.
• He bluntly calls for Medicaid expansion in Georgia and policies that provide help to those "caught in a very vicious cycle of poverty."

10. Family, Resilience, and Finding Joy

[24:48]

• Family has been both a source of joy and resilience during political challenges:

  "This has been a tough struggle for our family, but it's also brought us closer together...my kids were knocking on doors with me. My wife's always been a rock."
  (Geoff Duncan, 24:55)

11. Bourbon, Beer, and Lighthearted Moments

[26:19]

• Despite the show's whiskey theme, Duncan opts for a regional IPA (Sweetwater 420 in Atlanta) over bourbon, describing himself as a "homebody" and appreciative of local craft beers.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On political integrity:
  "Doing the right thing will never be the wrong thing."
  (Geoff Duncan, 09:32)

• On party polarization:
  "The Republican Party has turned into a cult following Donald Trump."
  (Geoff Duncan, 16:11)

• On personal evolution:
  "I was wrong to think the NRA had anybody's best interests at heart, because they don't."
  (Geoff Duncan, 18:53)

• On women's rights:
  "None of us wake up with the inherent right to force our personal opinions on other individuals. And that's certainly the case with abortion."
  (Geoff Duncan, 20:42)

• On healthcare challenges:
  "Healthcare is a crisis for everybody...We have to expand Medicaid in Georgia. We can't allow hundreds of thousands of people to be uninsured."
  (Geoff Duncan, 23:04)

Key Timestamps

• [02:11] – Athletic beginnings and life lessons from sports
• [04:01] – Comparing sports and politics
• [05:52] – Courage to oppose Trump’s election lies
• [09:31] – Why Duncan became a Democrat
• [12:24] – Surprises and strengths of the Democratic Party
• [14:36] – Fate of moderate Republicans
• [16:06] – Personal costs of breaking with Trump and the GOP
• [18:41] – Policy shifts on guns & abortion
• [22:42] – Medicaid expansion and healthcare in Georgia
• [24:48] – Family, hobbies, resilience
• [26:19] – Duncan’s beer of choice
• [27:29] – Closing remarks and campaign website

Final Thoughts

Geoff Duncan’s candid conversation offers a rare, behind-the-scenes look at the personal and political turmoil of defying your own party for principle, and the hope of constructing a more solution-oriented, big-tent political movement. His story is not just about one man's convictions—it’s a blueprint for navigating America’s fractured political landscape with integrity, humility, and faith in the power of doing what’s right.

For listeners seeking a grounded, compelling account of courage in democracy, this episode delivers both inspiration and practical insight.

Learn more or support Geoff Duncan’s campaign:
www.duncanforgeorgia.com