Former White House chief strategist Steve Bannon defended his decision to campaign for Alabama Senate candidate Roy Moore on Monday, while calling for a “real review” into why President Trump backed Moore’s GOP opponent Luther Strange.
Speaking to Fox News after headlining a rally for Moore in Fairhope, Ala., Bannon said it has been remarkable to watch Trump back the former judge’s rival in the race and capitulate to the same crowd who “went after [him].”
“This is unnacceptable,” Bannon said of the attack ads against Moore that have been airing ahead of Tuesday’s run-off race, one of which accused the ex-state Supreme Court justice of letting a child abuser off easy.
“They’ve done the cruelest, nastiest ads I’ve ever seen to destroy Jude Moore, who is a righteous man, and his family,” Bannon said. “The same gang that is going after Roy Moore is the same gang who went after Donald Trump.”
Trump endorsed Strange in early August, leaving many of his closest allies baffled. The move led Alabama Congressman Mo Brooks, who ran against Strange and Moore in the Aug. 15 GOP primary, to accuse Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell of misleading Trump to get him to back Strange.
Strange has received substanial support on the airwaves from a super PAC aligned with McConnell.
“This should have never just never happened … and there needs to be a real review,” Bannon said of Trump’s endorsement.
Bannon joined a slew of Trump’s most steadfast supporters at a campaign event for Moore on Monday, which was timed to compete with a nearby rally for Strange.
