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Geoff Duncan set to become first-ever Georgia lieutenant governor from Forsyth County
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Republican lieutenant governor Geoff Duncan waves to supporters after voting on Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2018, at the Windermere precinct. - photo by Bradley Wiseman

With 99 percent of the precincts reporting, it appears for the first time ever the next lieutenant governor of Georgia calls Forsyth County home.

Republican Geoff Duncan defeated Democrat Sarah Riggs Amico by 52.2 percent of the vote, or about 1.95 million votes, to Amico’s 47.8 percent, or 1.85 million votes, to become lieutenant governor-elect of Georgia. Locally, Duncan earned 70.6 percent, or 65,798 votes, of Forsyth County votes.

Duncan formerly represented Forsyth County as state representative for District 26, which is comprised of east and north Forsyth, in the Georgia House of Representatives from 2013 to 2017, when he stepped down to run for the lieutenant governor seat.

In his term, Duncan supported legislation enacting more harsh penalties for cargo theft, a bill increasing the amount of money Georgia residents who donate to rural hospitals can get back in tax credits and Michael’s Law, which sets age limits for bars and their employees and was named for South Forsyth High School graduate Michael Gatto, who was beaten to death at a bar during his freshman year at Georgia Southern University.

It’s already been a busy year for Duncan on the campaign trail, starting with the Republican primary in May, where he earned 26.6 percent of the vote, compared to opponents’ David Shafer, who received 48.9 percent of the vote, and Rick Jeffares, 24.5 percent.

Since no candidate received more than 50 percent of the vote, Duncan and Shafer faced off in a runoff in July, which Duncan won by 50.15 percent to 49.85 percent, including carrying 66.3 percent, or 11,233 votes, of Forsyth County.

Duncan is a graduate of Chattahoochee High School and attended Georgia Tech, where he was a scholarship pitcher and member of the school’s 1994 College World Series. After his junior season, he was drafted into the then-Florida Marlins organization, where he played for six years and reached the AAA level.

Amico, a Cobb County resident who serves as chairperson of car haul company Jack Cooper, is a graduate of Washington and Lee University and earned an MBA from Harvard University.