Pro-Trump extremists seem to have a tight grip on the Republican Party at both state and national levels. With elections around the corner, traditional Republicans are now calling for party officials to move the GOP away from "Trumpism." Some are even wondering whether a new center-right party may be needed — as a last resort.

These concerns were expressed by Gov. Christine Todd Whitman and Miles Taylor in a recent Washington Post op-ed. They join Julian Zelizer and Sam Wang in this week’s show.

Todd Whitman is the former governor of New Jersey (1994 to 2001). Taylor served at the Department of Homeland Security from 2017 to 2019, including as chief of staff, and was the anonymous author of a 2018 guest essay for The Times criticizing President Donald Trump’s leadership.