Breitbart News Executive Chairman and former White House Chief Strategist Steve Bannon had a stark warning for Republicans who push back against President Trump’s “America First” agenda and who don’t have his back in the capital.
“There’s a special place in hell for Republicans who should know better,” Bannon said.
Bannon was addressing a packed event in Midland City, Alabama, a day before voters go the polls in the Alabama Senate race between Republican Judge Roy Moore and Democrat Doug Jones.
Bannon’s remarks are similar to those made by first daughter Ivanka Trump in the wake of allegations of sexual impropriety made against Moore in November.
“There’s a special place in hell for people who prey on children,” Ivanka said in the wake of a bombshell Washington Post report detailing the allegations. “I’ve yet to see a valid explanation and I have no reason to doubt the victims’ accounts.”
Bannon said that had it not been for the Republican establishment throwing their weight against Moore in the wake of accusations of sexual misconduct leveled against him, he would be comfortably ahead.
“And let’s talk about who brought this on — the Republican establishment. This should be an absolute blowout except for what they did to Judge Moore, because they couldn’t stand being beaten in the first round,” he said.
Moore beat establishment-backed Sen. Luther Strange (R-AL) in the GOP primary despite being outspent 10-1. But in the wake of accusations of sexual impropriety, many establishment Republicans called for Moore to step down.
Bannon said it was a sign of the contempt with which the GOP elite hold ordinary voters, noting that they crushed Rep. Mo Brooks (R-AL) unfairly because they thought Moore would be easier to beat.
“They didn’t understand something – the populist nationalism of Mo Brooks – the conservatives are all going to back Judge Moore,” he said.
Bannon noted that this is part of a broader contempt for the economic nationalist agenda, shown in establishment opposition to President Trump’s agenda. He claimed that the only reason Republicans have been cozying up to Trump in recent months is so they can get through their much-desired tax cut.
“[Senate Minority Leader] Mitch McConnell and Sen. [Richard] Shelby…and little [Sen.] Bobby Corker, all that establishment up there every day that doesn’t have Trump’s back, you know they don’t have his back at all,” he said. “All they wanted him for was the corporate tax cut, that’s all they want him for. As soon as they get that tax cut, watch what happens.”
Bannon also accused establishment Republicans of preferring a Jones victory in Alabama to a Moore win, because Moore would undermine their control of the party.
“They would rather control in a minority the Republican Party than be in a majority and have you guys in control,” Bannon said.
Adam Shaw is a Breitbart News politics reporter based in New York. Follow Adam on Twitter: @AdamShawNY.