Ex-GOP officials in talks of forming new ‘center-right’ party

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW:

• Reuters reported that several ex-GOP officials are in talks of assembling a new “center-right party.”
• Over 120 Republicans have joined the call, expressing their dismay with other GOP members who remain loyal to former President Donald Trump.
• Most Republican senators have signaled that they would not convict Trump in his second impeachment trial.

Several former GOP officials are in discussions of forming a center-right party apart from the Republican party, four people involved in the matter told Reuters.

These Republicans see the GOP failing to condemn former President Donald Trump and his vicious actions that have caused turmoil in the country.

Republican officials involved in the initial talks include former politicians, former administrators of former presidents Ronald Reagan, George H.W. Bush, George W. Bush, and Trump, as well as former ambassadors and strategists, according to the sources.

A zoom conference call was held last Friday, that was attended by over 120 GOPs to align about the creation of the group, which would lay the foundation on “principled conservatism” as its platform.

The sources said that the strategy would be to fill in candidates in several election races while backing center-right candidates regardless of their political affiliation.

Participants of the call included former Trump officials such as Department of Homeland Security former general counsel John Mitnick; former Homeland Security Department deputy chief of staff Elizabeth Neumann; former Homeland security officer Miles Taylor and; ex-Congressman Charlie Dent. 

The discussion revolved on the party’s growing conflict over Trump’s baseless claims of voter fraud and his involvement in the January 6 US Capitol siege. Amid recent occurrences, most Republicans continue to rally behind the former president while others wanted to pursue another path.

In the call, participants were disappointed by the thought that the majority of GOP lawmakers, composed of 139 House members and eight senators, attempted to block President Joe Biden’s electoral win during the joint session.

In this week’s start of Trump impeachment trial, most GOP senators also expressed their ‘acquittal’ verdict on Trump.

“Large portions of the Republican Party are radicalizing and threatening American democracy. The party needs to recommit to truth, reason and founding ideals or there clearly needs to be something new,” House Republican Conference chief policy director Evan McMullin told Reuters.

When asked regarding the talks of forming a new party, Trump’s spokesperson Jason Miller, said: “These losers left the Republican Party when they voted for Joe Biden.”

Last month, Republican National Committee Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel had something to say about the rift.

“If we continue to attack each other and focus on attacking on fellow Republicans, if we have disagreements within our party, then we are losing sight of 2022 (elections),” she told Fox News.

Speaking with Reuters, McMullin, co-host of the Zoom call said that ex-officials were growing weary of Trump’s stronghold on the party.

Source: AOL.com