Former Ohio Gov. Bob Taft, a member of one of the great political dynasties in American history, questioned whether he could even get elected in today's hyperpartisan political climate.

In a rare interview these days, the 80-year-old Republican told The Enquirer's "That's So Cincinnati" podcast that he'd be known as a "RINO" – Republican in Name Only – if he were still in politics.

"I'm not sure there's much of a center-right ... on the Republican side," Taft said. "It could be a big challenge for someone like me to get elected as a Republican. There's no middle lane out there."

Addressing the partisan extremes on both sides, Taft said: "It's like (the parties) don't want to allow the other side to have any victories that would help the other side get reelected. It's not healthy for democracy. It's not good for the country."