Georgia lieutenant governor who clashed with Trump is foregoing re-election to focus on 'GOP 2.0'

The battle for the Republican Party's future is ongoing, and Georgia's Lt. Gov. Geoff Duncan (R) aims to be a part of it, albeit in a different role.

Duncan, who clashed with former President Donald Trump over the latter's false claims of widespread voter fraud in Georgia's presidential election, announced Monday that he won't seek re-election next year and will instead focus his energy on building a national organization he is calling "GOP 2.0." "The national events of the last six months have deeply affected my family in ways I would have never imagined when I first asked for their support to run for lieutenant governor in 2017," Duncan said in a statement.

Duncan's explanation of the GOP 2.0 suggests he's not looking to start a new, breakaway party. His goal, he said, is rather to heal and rebuild the current Republican Party by "reminding Americans [of] the value of conservative policies through genuine empathy and a respectful tone."

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CNN's Jake Tapper praised Duncan as one of the GOP's "stalwarts standing for facts and truth against the maelstrom of election lies."