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“Mr. Priebus needs to understand that leadership has not answered the call of the most important people in the Republican Party and that’s the conservatives. We have always been there, we’ve endured a lot of one-way loyalty,” said Chris Eckstrom, a Dallas-based businessman and founder of Courageous Conservative PAC, an organization that once supported Cruz’s campaign but is now backing the new movement.

“It’s now our time and our duty to say that this is a conservative platform in the Republican Party and we simply will not abandon it,” Eckstrom added.

Thomson, Eckstrom and others addressed at least 1,000 Republicans nationwide who participated in the call, organizers said. The Washington Post obtained call-in information from a caller, but there was no way to independently verify how many people participated.

If you want to know how it’s possible for someone like Donald Trump to rise this far in our party, it’s because we have leaders like this

Also on the call was Steve Lonegan, a Republican consultant from New Jersey who is advising the campaign on fundraising and media outreach. During the call, Lonegan asked participants to donate to the Eckstrom’s PAC, reiterating that both men are volunteering their time and would only spend the PAC money on helping track down like-minded delegates, hiring staff to assist the campaign while in Cleveland and to help any delegates who may face threats or pressure.

Delegates in several states have said they are facing pressure not to join anti-Trump groups. In North Carolina some have proposed fining delegates or kicking them out of the party if they vote against Trump. In other states, party leaders have threatened to strip delegates of their credentials if they buck primary results and against Trump, according to delegates who have contacted The Post. Some who have reached out have asked for anonymity, saying that spouses are fearful of physical threats if they speak out publicly about their plans.