American constitutional democracy is in an existential crisis right now, and it's not easy to see how this ends.

President-elect Donald Trump Donald John TrumpHR McMaster says president's policy to withdraw troops from Afghanistan is 'unwise' Cast of 'Parks and Rec' reunite for virtual town hall to address Wisconsin voters Biden says Trump should step down over coronavirus response MORE has made clear he will not respect limits on presidential power. Even before taking office, he and his minions have threatened to clamp down on journalists and dissenters, demonstrating contempt for the First Amendment.

Former Speaker Newt Gingrich (R-Ga.) recently suggested that Trump could "close down the elite press" by choosing which press outlets he personally decides are legitimate. Richard Painter, former ethics lawyer under George W. Bush, warns that Trump has "serious conflicts of interest" that will place him in violation of the Constitution as soon as he takes office.

Most troubling of all, the U.S. intelligence community has concluded that Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered a cyber espionage operation aimed at helping Trump win election. There are unconfirmed reports that Russia also collected compromising information it could use to blackmail Trump. There is also reporting raising concerns that the FBI "blocked a thorough inquiry into Mr. Trump [and Russia]."

Recently, civil rights activist Rep. John Lewis (D-Ga.) has concluded that, because of Russian interference in the election, Trump cannot be a legitimate president.

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This all adds up to an unprecedented crisis of legitimacy, and it is difficult to know where we go from here.

The first step, when it comes to Russia, is sorting out what actually happened. That requires an independent, nonpartisan investigation. The Senate intelligence committee has announced that it plans to begin investigating "counterintelligence concerns related to Russia and the 2016 election."

That's a good start (though not the kind of independent commission many have in mind), but we can't passively sit back and assume this will be sufficient. If the investigation confirms assessments and reports that Russia helped Trump win the presidency and is now in a position to blackmail him, that would require the extraordinary and unprecedented remedy of a new election. None of this can happen unless Americans of all political stripes recognize the danger we are in and support their elected representatives in doing what is necessary to set things right.

Whether we can find a path through this thicket depends on all Americans recognizing this is about the legitimacy of our constitutional democracy, not typical partisan divisions.

Some Republicans understand this. Mark Salter, former chief of staff to Sen. John McCain John Sidney McCainThe electoral reality that the media ignores Kelly's lead widens to 10 points in Arizona Senate race: poll COVID response shows a way forward on private gun sale checks MORE (R-Ariz.), suggests that we need "an uncommon country-before-tribe commitment from Republican and Democratic politicians" and others. He's right — and elected officials can only find the courage to act if they have the support and urging of their constituents.

That means Trump voters must acknowledge they made a mistake. This is, without a doubt, a difficult thing to do. I understand this.

I was too young to vote in 1988, but I thought that year's presidential election was a contest for the soul of America. Then-Vice President George H.W. Bush's campaign rhetoric and choice of an unqualified running mate, convinced me that he would be dangerous for the country. I worried he was in the pocket of the religious right and other extremist elements in the Republican Party.

I was wrong; Bush was no extremist. The elder Bush was a better president than Democratic nominee Michael Dukakis would have been, and likely would have been better in many if not most ways than Bill Clinton William (Bill) Jefferson ClintonD-Day for Trump: September 29 Trump job approval locked at 42 percent: Gallup If Trump doesn't know why he should be president again, how can voters? MORE, the man elected to replace him in 1992.

We all make mistakes. What matters is owning up to that, taking responsibility for our actions, and trying to set things right. Those of us (which includes a number of Republicans and conservatives) who already are confronting the crisis our nation faces must reach out to Trump voters in friendship, as our fellow citizens.

This is not about bitterness, settling scores, or showing anyone up. It is about recognizing that we face the most serious constitutional crisis since Nixon's presidency. As we did more than 40 years ago, Americans must cross partisan lines to defend our constitutional democracy.

None of this will be at all easy, but it is an essential test of our patriotism, integrity and national character.

Chris Edelson is an assistant professor of government in American University's School of Public Affairs. His latest book, "Power Without Constraint: The Post 9/11 Presidency and National Security," was published in May 2016 by the University of Wisconsin Press.

The views expressed by contributors are their own and not the views of The Hill.