'Cult of personality': Ex-GA lieutenant gov. warns 'Trump’s obsession with power' will destroy GOP

Like President Joe Biden four years ago, 2024 Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris is receiving her share of conservative endorsements. The group Republicans for Harris includes former Rep. Adam Kinzinger (R-Illinois), former Trump White House Press Secretary Stephanie Grisham, former New Jersey Gov. Christine Todd Whitman and other Donald Trump critics on the right.

Harris' conservative supporters aren't pretending that they don't have some policy differences with her, but they consider Trump a dangerous authoritarian who has been terrible for the GOP.

Another conservative Republican who has endorsed Harris, policy differences and all, is former Georgia Lt. Gov. Geoff Duncan.

READ MORE: 'Flailing' MAGA Republicans are 'in a tire fire' — but still pose an 'existential danger': conservative

In an op-ed published by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution (AJC) on August 8, Duncan argues that a Harris presidency would be beneficial for the GOP and the conservative movement — as it would give them a chance to move away from Trumpism.

"With the Trumpers reeling, some have started losing their moorings," Duncan observes. "In a weird social media temper tantrum, the chairman of the Georgia Republican Party threatened to permanently ban me from the party. My 'sin' was endorsing Biden and then Harris as a means of ending the Trump era. The rant symbolizes the rot in the GOP."

The Georgia Republican continues, "Our party revolves less around convictions and governing policies and more toward a cult of personality. Ironically, Trump is a man who spent portions of his adult life as a registered Democrat and whose majority of campaign donations went to Democrats — including Hillary Clinton, John Kerry and even Harris when she was running for California attorney general. The message from the Trump faithful to Republicans who support a different course is clear: There is no place for you in our ranks."

Duncan emphasizes that successful politicians should be "attracting more voters, not fewer" — something Trump wasn't doing when he angrily railed against conservative GOP Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp during a weekend rally in Atlanta.

READ MORE: 'Match made in hell': Ex-GA lieutenant gov. rips state GOP for sowing Trump’s 'chaos and confusion'

"The outcome of saddling up for another four years with Trump is preordained to be cloaked in chaos, anger and vitriol, the same unproductive position as when he disgracefully left office last time," Duncan warns. "Trump's obsession with power fuels head-scratching disappointments at unexplainable times and places. This weekend’s rally was another painful example."

Duncan adds, "At the very least, four years under Harris will provide the GOP time to put the pieces back together without Trump and hopefully give this lifelong Republican a chance to help rebuild the party I've always called home."

READ MORE: 'Talk about low energy': Vance brutally mocked for sparsely attended rally in Michigan

Geoff Duncan's full op-ed for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution is available at this link (subscription required).