Bannon blasts GOP establishment's role in Ala. Senate race
On 'Hannity,' the former Trump
White House chief strategist slams party leaders for trying to 'destroy'
Luther Strange opponent Roy Moore
President Trump late Monday tweeted
his support for Sen. Luther Strange in the hotly contested Alabama
Republican runoff for U.S. Senate, in a race that has pitted the
president against his former strategist, Steve Bannon.
The runoff is set for Tuesday.
Vice President Mike Pence campaigned for Strange in Birmingham while Bannon spoke at a Moore rally at the coast.
Taking the stage to prolonged applause, Bannon said
Alabama can show the world "that this populist, nationalist,
conservative movement is on the rise."
"A vote for Roy Moore is a vote for Donald J. Trump," Bannon said.
Bannon lashed out at negative ads funded by allies of
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell. Bannon said Republican "elites"
had put millions of dollars into the Alabama race "to destroy a man."
“It’s very simple,” Bannon told Fox News’ “Hannity.”
“This election is $30 million being spent by Mitch McConnell and that
crew of corrupt and incompetent politicians and consultants. They raised
$30 million in outside money to destroy Judge Moore.”
Bannon mentioned that conservative radio hosts Mark Levin, Laura Ingram and Michael Savage have all voice support for Moore.
Bannon, who was in Alabama during the interview, said he was not there to defy Trump, rather to support his agenda.
Wearing a white cowboy hat and a black leather vest,
Moore repeated the conservative Christian themes that he has used his
entire public career, quoting Bible passages and Colonial leaders at
length.
"All of Washington is watching to see what Alabama does tomorrow," Moore said.
Strange, Alabama's former attorney general, was
appointed to the seat previously held by U.S. Attorney General Jeff
Sessions in February.
Moore is the state's Alabama's chief justice, but was
twice removed from that office because of stands for the public display
of the Ten Commandments and against gay marriage.
Propelled by his support from evangelical voters, Moore
led Strange by about 25,000 votes in the crowded August primary and
runoff polls have shown him leading, or in a dead heat with, Strange.
Strange looked to help from the White House to try to avoid another
second-place finish Tuesday
Trump, who held a rally Friday in Huntsville for
Strange, continued his efforts Monday, calling a popular Alabama radio
show to campaign.
Trump predicted that Moore, whom he mistakenly called
"Ray," would have a "hard time" in the December election against
Democrat Doug Jones.
"Luther Strange is going to be a great senator. He
already has, and he has already helped me," Trump said on the "Rick
& Bubba" radio show.
Walking into the humid hangar to hear Pence,
57-year-old Randy Beasley of Springville said he had been undecided in
the race but was swayed to vote for Strange because of his backing from
the National Rifle Association. Beasley said he also had concerns that
the twice-ousted chief justice "might have more of a negative image for
the state."
Although Trump has endorsed Luther Strange, many in the
crowd at the Moore rally wore Trump T-shirts or "Make America Great
Again" hats.
Chu Green, 71, of Mobile said she arrived five hours
early to snag a front row spot just feet from the speaker's microphone.
She held up a sign reading: "Mr. President and Mr. V.P. I love you but
you are wrong! America needs Judge Moore."
"It's how I feel in my heart," Green said. "I think (Trump) knows he made a mistake. He had an obligation to Strange."