McConnell on Bannon’s role in Alabama Senate race: “Let me just say this: The political genius on display throwing away a seat in the reddest state in America is hard to ignore.” (via ABC) pic.twitter.com/MzwEM3F5g4
— Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) December 22, 2017
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) is riding high on the GOP’s first major congressional victory of the session (the sweeping tax overhaul) that President Trump signed into law before Mar-a-Lago time on Friday. McConnell would like to keep on winning, so he’d like to, you know. stop losing. And he doesn’t want to see more embarrassing spectacles like alleged pedophile Roy Moore’s surprise loss in Alabama. McConnell is floored by how Republicans could have possibly lost such a deep red state, and he’s placing the blame on Steve Bannon, as articulated to reporters in the above ABC News clip:
“Let me just say this: The political genius on display throwing away a seat in the reddest state in America is hard to ignore.”
Indeed, even Doug Jones couldn’t believe he won in Alabama, which signaled more of a loss from Moore — a Bannon-engineered, Christian nationalist candidate — than a victory for whomever he was pitted against. Politico further reports that McConnell is privately expressing concern that Republicans could now lose majority control of both the House and Senate in November unless Republicans start favoring more moderate candidates.
This shot fired by McConnell isn’t the first time he’s clashed with Bannon. In fact, the former White House chief strategist was said to be pushing for McConnell be replaced while also angling to push more far-right congressional candidates (including chemtrail enthusiast Kelli Ward of Arizona) for 2018. With the resounding failure of Moore to nab an “easy” win in Alabama, McConnell is pushing back as viciously as he can manage to do.