More than 100 Republicans will reportedly sign a letter Thursday May 11, threatening to create a third party if the GOP doesn’t “break” with former President Trump.
According to a report by Reuters, Trump’s grip on the GOP has gotten stronger since the Jan. 6 Capitol riot as the party on Wednesday May 12 votes to remove Liz Cheney as House Conference chair for criticizing Donald Trump for continuing to make claims that he was cheated in the 2020 election.
She is also being ousted from her position by the Republican party because of her vote to impeach Trump for a charge of inciting an insurrection at the Capitol.
Top Trump Ally and senator Lindsey Graham on Tuesday said that anyone can criticize Trump, but you just can’t do it and expect to be a leader at the party, signalling Trump’s grip on the GOP.
According to the New York Times, the letter’s preamble will state, “When in our democratic republic, forces of conspiracy, division, and despotism arise, it is the patriotic duty of citizens to act collectively in defense of liberty and justice.”
The letter’s signatories include former “governors, members of Congress, ambassadors, cabinet secretaries, state legislators and Republican Party chairmen,” according to the Times, citing co-organizer Miles Taylor.
“This is us saying that … the situation has gotten so dire with the Republican Party that it is now time to seriously consider whether an alternative might be the only option, said Taylor, who was the Trump-era Department of Homeland Security official who wrote an anonymous NYT op-ed on the administration.
Taylor also tweeted: “My philosophy on GOP extremists: if you won’t join ’em, beat ’em. Come fight with us.”
Meanwhile Jason Miller, Trump’s spokesperson has reacted to the report.
He tweeted: “These losers left the Republican Party when they voted for Joe Biden.”
On Tuesday Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson (R) told CNN that he believes Trump is dividing the Republican Party.
Hutchinson is barred from seeking a third term as governor in 2022.
He is one of the few prominent Republicans to push against the growing consensus that Trump must play a dominant role in the party going forward.
Liz Cheney as recently as Tuesday claimed Trump is a threat “America has never seen before”
Speaking on the House floor Tuesday evening, she said the 2020 election was not stolen and that former President Trump’s baseless claims of election fraud pose a threat that “America has never seen before.”
