The Anti-Trump Party: Former Republican Officials Want A New Conservative Political Party

Former officials from the center-right of the Republican Party are talking about forming a new political party. They reportedly want to break away from the influence former President Donald Trump holds over the GOP.

The discussions included former elected officials as well as people from the last four Republican administrations (Ronald Reagan, George H.W. Bush, George W. Bush and Trump), according to Reuters.

More than 120 participated Friday in a Zoom call to discuss the potential of breaking away. "Principled conservative" is central to the group's efforts, including upholding the Constitution and the rule of law.

Members of the group said those two points have been ravaged by Trump.

"Clearly there are a number of Republicans like myself and other Republican leaders who want a clean break from President Trump and we are kind of rallying around some core founding principles like truth and honesty, and democracy, and rule of law," former Rep. Charlie Dent of Pennsylvania told CNN Thursday.

Evan McMullin was chief policy director for the House Republican Conference and ran for president in 2016 as an independent. He told Reuters he helped host the call.

The discussion sheds light on the growing rift within the GOP over Trump's claims of fraud in the Nov. 3 election and the deadly Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol.

Thursday was the third day of Trump's Senate trial on a single article of impeachment, charging him with "incitement of insurrection" over the riot.

Third-party proponents are troubled more than half the Republicans in Congress voted to block certification of results from the Electoral College. The votes took place mere hours after the Capitol was occupied and vandalized by rioters. Eight senators and 139 House members voted against certification.

An acquittal of Trump is likely. Only six senators voted with 48 Democrats and two independents the trial was constitutional. A conviction needs 67 votes.

If convicted, the Senate could bar him from future public office by a majority vote.

According to a Washington Post-ABC poll, 56% of respondents want Trump banned from elected service. More than two in three surveyed want Trump to face criminal charges related to the riot.

"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."

Trump spokesperson Jason Miller dismissed the talk.

"These losers left the Republican Party when they voted for Joe Biden," Miller said.