A group of former Republican officials are discussing forming a new center right party, breaking with the Republican Party over their unwillingness to stand up to Donald Trump.
The group includes former elected Republicans, former officials in the Republican administrations of Ronald Reagan, George H.W. Bush, George W. Bush and Trump, ex-Republican ambassadors and Republican strategists, people familiar with the matter told Reuters.
More than 120 of them participated in a zoom call last Friday co-hosted by Evan McMullin, who was chief policy director for the House Republican Conference and ran as an independent in the 2016 presidential election.
“Large portions of the Republican Party are radicalizing and threatening American democracy,” McMullin said. “The party needs to recommit to truth, reason and founding ideals or there clearly needs to be something new.”
The group reportedly discussed running candidates and supporting center-right candidates that are Republican, Democrat or independent.
Asked about the discussions for a third party, Jason Miller, a Trump spokesman, said: “These losers left the Republican Party when they voted for Joe Biden.”
