³ÉÈËXÕ¾

Republicans are trying to find ways to cope with the idea that their presidential nominee was the host of a reality television show with the catchphrase known “you’re fired.” And there are ways to do it.

Longstanding Republican Party member and former Attorney General Rob McKenna says that although Donald Trump is going to be the nominee, he is grateful the party has other viable candidates for various levels of government, such as in Congress and the Legislature.

Related: Here’s the scariest part about a Trump nomination

“I think what will happen is we will turn our attention to getting them elected,” McKenna told ³ÉÈËXÕ¾ Radio’s Dave Ross.

So, instead of touting the new face of the Republican Party, at least some are turning their attention elsewhere. But how did it come to this? A few years ago the party was ecstatic over the number of potential candidates it had for president.

McKenna believes a lot of voters who may have not traditionally voted Republican rejected the established candidates.

“And I think it has upended the party,” he added.

Does that mean the party is giving up on the idea of having a Republican president? Is this the end of the party as we know it?

“I don’t think so,” McKenna said.

Political parties go through what McKenna calls transformations, every 30 years or so. This, he says is the end of an era. Because parties are really just coalitions of voters and groups, there is a “metamorphosis” happening, McKenna said. What remains to be seen is what happens to the party after the election.

“But the party is probably changed forever,” McKenna said.