Democratic voters say electability is on their mind as they look to November

(Georgia Recorder) — Democratic gubernatorial Geoff Duncan previously served as Georgia’s Republican lieutenant governor.

His party swap has been a public one, and he’s spent much of the campaign explaining to skeptical Democrats how he came to reverse his past positions on issues like abortion and guns.

His supporters say he’s the most electable candidate, a message that resonates with voters like Jason Gimeski of Mableton.

“I voted for Geoff Duncan because I feel like he’s most likely to win come November,” Gimeski said after casting his ballot Tuesday at the India American Cultural Association’s office in Smyrna. “I feel like he has a broad reach when it comes to both sides of the aisle, and I think in Georgia that plays really well.”

Gimeski, who works for a paint company, said he wants a governor who will push back against what he calls the erosion of American democracy.

“It’s beyond civic duty, I think it’s, now more than ever, with everything going on, it seems like every day, you wake up and somebody’s trying to undermine our system of democracy,” he said.

But the electability argument cuts both ways, and some voters say Duncan could drive more progressive voters to stay home.

Smyrna stay-at-home mom Rebecca McInturff said she likes Duncan but decided to cast her ballot for former state Sen. Jason Esteves Tuesday.

“I think that I’m looking at the governor’s race from who is really going to be electable,” she said. “We really need someone electable, and I think Duncan so recently having been on the other side may cause some progressive voters not to vote for him.”

McInturff’s daughter, Caroline McInturff, a student who also voted for Esteves, agreed.

“I think he’s just not as secure of a candidate yet,” she said. “He needs to earn more credibility, I feel like, before everyone truly trusts him.”