Multiple Republican lawmakers are debating bolting and forming a new party: ex-GOP House member

On CNN Saturday, former Rep. Charlie Dent (R-PA), a Trump-skeptic conservative who endorsed President Joe Biden, said that Republicans in his circle are debating forming an entirely new conservative party and abandoning the GOP to the far right.

"What are Republican leaders telling you about the trajectory of the party?" asked anchor Fredricka Whitfield.

"It's not good right now. I think everybody understands that," said Dent. "In fact, just yesterday I participated in a forum or a summit where we talked about the future of the party, should there be a new party or a new faction. A new faction within the party or one that operates independently of the party? That's the conversation that many Republicans are having, and we're united around core principles like democracy, rule of law, measured statements, and we're against cronyism and this type of ugly populism that we've witnessed the last four years under President Trump and folks like [Rep.]Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA)."

"So it sounds like there's a consideration of surrendering the party to a fringe element?" said Whitfield.

"Well, I think that's a real fear," said Dent. "You just led with Marjorie Taylor Greene's comments. And let's be honest, the Democrats now have a recorded vote of 199 Republicans basically defending her right to serve on a committee. I mean, Republicans would, say, pick on AOC or the Squad and use her to define other Democrats. Now it's going to be a fair turn of events. Democrats are going to do the same thing with Marjorie Taylor Greene, except they have a recorded vote. And that is a very big deal. So I think Republicans right now have to — should have never put themselves in a position where the Democrats did what Republicans should have done themselves, which was remove her from the committees and also, frankly, disinvite her from the Republican conference."

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