Hillary Clinton, the almost certain Democratic nominee for president, is manifestly unfit to serve as president. She is a pathological liar who abused her office, violated the law, and sold influence for personal gain while abandoning subordinates in a war zone. Arguably, her corruption is orders of magnitude beyond any previous case in U.S. history.

Donald Trump, the presumptive Republican nominee, is manifestly unfit to serve as president. He is a pathological liar who bought influence with elected officials for personal gain. He is corrupt, amoral, and surrounds himself with people who cannot be trusted with responsibility or government power. He is an unstable conspiracy theorist so narcissistic as to make President Obama seem humble by comparison.

Many disagree, and they are free to enthusiastically embrace Mrs. Clinton, Mr. Trump, or another socialist.

Others -- call them conservatives -- face several unacceptable options and dismal prospects for our Republic. Trump is heading for a defeat of historic proportions. Republican gains of 2010 and 2014 at the state and local level will be reversed. Worse, those who choose to stay with the party will now be painted with all the negative attributes of Trump. Unlike the easily disproven memes about Republicans being racists who want to poison the air and water, in making Trump their nominee, Republicans will wear Trump like an albatross around the neck.

If Clinton is somehow prevented from finishing the race and Trump wins by default, the prospects are potentially worse. Trump will cut deals with his friend U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer and Republicans will be unable to oppose any liberal fantasy advanced thereafter. In the name of Republicans and the Republican Party, Trump can implement single-payer healthcare, blanket amnesty, gun control, and a slew of other disastrous policies. Republicans will be powerless, like unarmed eunuchs incapable of offering even tepid opposition.

What can conservatives do?

If he becomes the Libertarian Party nominee, polls show former New Mexico governor Gary Johnson actually does surprisingly well against Clinton and Trump. Many conservatives will find his positions on foreign policy and social issues unacceptable, but there are two other competitive Libertarian candidates. John McAfee is even less appealing to conservatives. Austin Petersen's positions are much more closely aligned with conservatives, but he is young, lacks experience, and his performance in the Libertarian Party debates was not polished.

The Constitution Party still exists and they nominated Darrell Castle for president this year. Unfortunately, they have ballot access in less than 20 states. They are on the ballot in Florida, but not in Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, or California. Their foreign policy positions differ very little from those of Johnson, the Libertarian candidate. Many conservatives will find the notion of unilateral withdrawal from NATO, among other positions, as non-starters in the face of world jihad and expanding communist Chinese influence.

A political party is just a vessel used to achieve political goals. Ideally, a party should represent some guiding philosophy and core principles, but as the current Democrat party shows, a party can just be a random collection of victim groups seeking largesse from the government. When a vessel is no longer seaworthy, the vessel needs to be repaired or replaced. The keel of the GOP is worm eaten. Like exposed insects and worm holes, Trump is proof positive the hulk is beyond repair.

Given there is no longer the party of Reagan, or even a party that loosely believes in limited government, free trade, the sanctity of life, federalism, regulated and legal immigration, the Constitution, and that the United States is an essential force for good in the world, we need a new party.

A new party requires a leader.

Leaders take risks. Leaders have vision and are able convey their vision to a larger following and inspire others to action. Leaders rise to a crisis.

We need a leader. Actually, we need many at the local, state, and national level. Forming a new party is a monumental task. The prospects for success are small. The career risks will be great. Leaders will need a degree of stature and the willingness to stick their neck out.

Like the formation of the Republican Party as the Whig Party disintegrated, existing elected officials must join the new party for it to gain credibility and make leaving the GOP acceptable. This will call for real leadership, not the ovine behavior masquerading as 'leadership' seen in the Peter Kings, Jeff Flakes, and Nathan Deals of the world. We need true leaders. Justin Amash? Ben Sasse? Greg Abbott? Dan Patrick?

We require a leader -- somebody with a vision, a plan, determination, and lots of courage -- who will take the slings and arrows. Former allies will attack them and accuse them of self-promotion. Friends will abandon them. They will become a pariah within the political establishment, and in the unlikely event of success, all the glory will go to those elected under the new party's banner. Their only reward will be knowing they saved the Republic, or at least mobilized a resistance for those who still considered the Republic worth saving.

Don't wait to apply, just act.