“Loving my neigbor is easier now” are the words of Geoff Duncan, the charismatic and popular former Republican lieutenant governor of Georgia, to formally announce in a recent op-ed in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution that he left the Republican Party and has joined the Democratic Party.

I applaud his decision, a decision based on the Christian value of loving thy neighbor as thy self. Geoff Duncan, a devout husband, father and evangelical Christian, said in his op-ed, “My decision was centered around my daily struggle to love my neighbor, as a Republican. The moral imperative to ‘love my neighbor’ evolves every moment and guides meaningful policy.”

Geoff Duncan’s list of reasons why he is now a Democrat continues to grow. Duncan reminds us that “recent budget cuts — $911 billion over 10 years, dubbed the ‘Big Beautiful Bill’ — have severely undermined Medicaid funding” and will threaten health care access for more than 1.2 million Georgians.

The citizens of Michigan are facing the same threat. Duncan also points out that “the $200 billion cut to SNAP (food stamps for the poor) is a cruel way to justify tax breaks.”

While Duncan supports a secure border and deporting felons, he points out that the administration’s “militaristic raids on undocumented families are heartless.” Duncan concludes by saying, “My decision puts me in the best position each day to love my neighbor.”

I suspect other good people of faith will also consider rejecting the cruel policies of the administration and will, like Geoff Duncan, join hands with Democrats who offer more humane policy alternatives. By the way, who is your neighbor?