Replace the Republican Party with a common-sense movement

Disgusted Republicans, you are not alone.

You know our democratic institutions are under assault by the party of Lincoln, Roosevelt and Reagan.

Today’s Republican Party has made a mockery of its founding principles, and Republican leaders in Congress refuse to speak the truth.

This is why I joined over 150 other leading Republicans from around the country to create a call for renewing — or even replacing — today’s Republican Party with a common-sense movement that reflects true conservative American values.

We outlined our foundational principles in A Call for American Renewal, and they include:

• Support for a free, open society in which everyone can go as far as their efforts and talents will take them in a free-market economy, while maintaining a robust safety net for those who need assistance.
• Welcoming America’s growing diversity and standing for the protection of the rights of all Americans to live their lives as they choose, free from racism, sexism, homophobia, and all forms of hate and intolerance.
• A commitment to energetic American leadership around the world to protect democracy and human rights.
• Opposition to voter suppression and support for common-sense reforms to enhance democracy.
• And above all, a commitment to truth, democracy, the Constitution, and the rule of law, and opposition to nativist, isolationist authoritarianism.

Our movement includes former governors, members of Congress, Cabinet secretaries, state officials, seasoned political strategists and grassroots leaders dedicated to offering a hopeful, principles-based vision for the country — and ensuring that our voices are heard and our actions have impact in key elections across the United States.

The same week our movement was launched, the last remaining Republican congressional leader with a shred of responsibility to the American people, conservative Rep. Liz Cheney of Wyoming, was ousted from her House leadership position for failing to lie to the American people.

Now, the collapse of honesty, morality and decency in today’s Republican Party has left millions of Americans politically homeless.

We intend to give voice to these Republicans, and others who fear that the Republicans’ effort to maintain power at any cost is costing our democracy dearly.

In Maricopa County, Arizona, the Republican-dominated Board of County Commissioners has rightly called out the “vote audit” as a fraudulent attempt to circumvent the will of voters.

In Washington, D.C., 35 Republican Members of Congress voted to establish a bipartisan commission to investigate the insurrection of January 6th in legislation that passed the House by a 252-175 bipartisan margin. This commission, patterned on the acclaimed 9/11 commission, will help determine the truth of this bloody attack on our democratic system.

Most Senate Republicans oppose a commission to find the truth. They want to ignore, or whitewash, this tragic event. This is why our movement is attracting a growing number of Republicans, independents and Democrats who hold true, patriotic American ideals that today’s Republican leaders have abandoned in the name of Trumpism.

Our movement does not bend to the dictate of the disgraced, twice-impeached former president who preaches a Big Lie, and who is now under civil and criminal investigation.

We cannot tolerate this dangerous threat to our republic any longer, and we urge Americans who support truth, principles and decency to join A Call for American Renewal.

Together, we can — and must — restore the Republican principles that made America great.