GOP strategist explains how Donald Trump is able to maintain his high approval ratings among Republicans

Well-known Republicans are coming out in force to speak against their party's leader, President Donald Trump. This week Steve Schmidt, former campaign manager to Sen. John McCain (R-AZ), and conservative columnist George Will both dropped their allegiance to the GOP. Both cited Trump in their resignations.

Former CIA officer Evan McMullin left the GOP in 2016 and ran as a Never-Trumper in the presidential election. He explained that the the Republican Party isn't as "torn" as commentators might claim. In fact, he noted, Trump's numbers have never been higher among Republican voters.

Republican strategist Evan Siegfried said that since Dec. 2015 to March 2017 the GOP lost 23 percent of young voters in their party.

"And we are not seeing that attrition end," he said. "We're seeing more and more Republicans, who can't stand this, saying 'I'm no longer a Republican.' And that is the problem. That's why you're seeing the approval ratings, because it's only the people who are 100 percent behind Donald Trump who are saying, 'He's doing a great job.'"

MSNBC host Yasmin Vossoughian pointed out that people like Will and Schmidt have nothing to lose in 2018, they're not running for any elections. Where, many of the members of the GOP are fighting for their political lives, stuck between a rock and a hard place.

"Those are the people I wonder about, the people who actually have something to lose in the midterm elections that are choosing not to speak out."

Siegfried explained that anyone who speaks out against Trump will end up with a more Trump-like candidate taking their seat in a primary election.

"There are many who are afraid to speak out, not that they're worried about Trump tweeting them, but what does it do to the Republican Party in the long term," he said. "If they keep silent--"

Vossoughian didn't quite believe the idea that members of the GOP are fighting for the soul of their party by keeping quiet.

"What about the party in the long term when you support a policy that recommends -- or that enforces separating children from parents at the border?" she asked.

Siegfried brought up Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX), who recently came out against Trump's border separation policy. Cruz, however, isn't well-liked among his own party and he especially isn't a friend to the candidate that called his father a murderer and attacked his wife.

McMullin called it absurd, saying that 55 percent of the GOP supports Trump's policy of separating families. Some even see it as a deterrent.

Watch the full discussion below: