Steve Bannon 'looks like some dishevelled drunk who wandered on to the political stage', says conservative Republican congressman
Republicans are blaming the former Trump strategist for the stunning defeat
A leading conservative Republican has attacked Steve Bannon over the stunning defeat of his candidate in Alabama, saying he “looks like some dishevelled drunk who wandered on to the political stage”.
As Republicans reeled from Democrat Doug Jones’ victory over former judge Roy Moore, the party was quick to blame Mr Bannon, Donald Trump’s former strategist, who had forced a primary to make Mr Moore the candidate.
Mr Bannon believed Mr Moore, 70, would win and provide the momentum for him to launch other so-called insurgent candidates in the 2018 midterm elections.
After Mr Jones pulled off his win, New York Congressman Peter King was quick to attack Mr Bannon and blame him for the defeat in the solidly conservative state, which has reduced the Republican majority in the senate to just 51-49.
“This guy does not belong on the national stage. He looks like some dishevelled drunk who wandered on to the political stage,” he said on CNN.
“I consider myself a conservative Republican. I consider myself an Irish Catholic. And he sort of parades himself out there with his weird alt-right views that he has and to me it's demeaning the whole governmental, political process.”
Mr King said he had called on Mr Trump go get rid of Mr Bannon in the summer and that the result in Alabama was “really just a revulsion by people over Bannon’s style and divisive views”.
Alabama Senate race: Roy Moore vs Doug Jones
Show all 12Asked if Mr King was calling Mr Bannon a dishevelled drunk, he replied: “No, it was very precise. I said he looks like one.”
He said he was also not concerned if his comments resulted in a response from Mr Bannon.
“I have no problem. Listen, you have to fight for what’s right,” he said.
“He attacked the President's daughter the other night when he took a shot at Ivanka Trump, mocking her expression ‘special place in hell’. This person to me, Bannon, does not belong on the American political scene.”
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