GOP candidate crushed after opposing Trump says party 'not living up to this moment'

Michael Wood, a Republican whose anti-Donald Trump message resulted in a crushing defeat in a special election for a Texas US House seat over the weekend, said the party is compromising its values by spreading the former president's falsehoods.

"It seems like right now, the dividing line in our politics is going to be between those who speak the truth and those who engage in conspiracy theories. And that's really unfortunate," Wood told CNN's John Berman on "New Day," adding that he is concerned about the direction of the GOP. "It feels like in a lot of ways we've gone through a looking glass, and those of us in the party who are against insurrection and lying are finding ourselves turned into fringe candidates. It's a sad commentary on the party. It's a sad commentary on the country." A Marine veteran and outspoken critic of Trump, Wood finished ninth in the crowded field for the congressional district seat that has been left without representation since the death of GOP Rep. Ron Wright. Wood, who received roughly 3% of the vote, has called for Republicans to reject the former President and stop pushing conspiracy theories like the 2020 election was stolen and QAnon. He was backed by Illinois Rep. Adam Kinzinger, a vocal Republican Trump critic in Congress.