Report: At ‘Breitbart Embassy,’ House GOP And Bannon Reach Understanding

Steve Bannon, former strategist for President Donald Trump, speaks at  at the California Republican Convention in Anaheim, Calf.,  on Friday Oct. 20, 2017.  (AP Photo/Ringo H.W. Chiu)
Steve Bannon, a former White House adviser to President Donald Trump, speaks at the California Republican Convention in Anaheim, Calf., on Friday Oct. 20, 2017. (AP Photo/Ringo H.W. Chiu)
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Former White House chief strategist and current Breitbart News Executive Chairman Steve Bannon on Friday pledged to Republicans that he would not focus his political efforts on defeating establishment House Republicans, Politico reported.

Citing two unnamed people familiar with a meeting at the so-called “Breitbart Embassy,” a town house in Washington, D.C., Politico reported that Bannon pledged to the chairman and executive director of the National Republican Congressional Committee that he would not “focus” on defeating House incumbents. Bannon has declared political war on incumbent Senate Republicans — with the exception of Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) — who he calls part of the “globalist” establishment in Washington.

That effort has drawn a rebuke from even President Donald Trump, who said in mid-October, referring to Bannon’s work: “Some of the people that he may be looking at, I’m going to see if we talk him out of that because frankly, they’re great people.”

Bannon’s wing of the Republican Party — funded generously in various capacities by billionaire Robert Mercer and his daughter Rebekah — celebrated announcements from Sens. Bob Corker (R-TN) and Jeff Flake (R-AZ) in recent months that they would not seek re-election.

Bannon did not pledge to hold off completely from attacking House Republicans, Politico noted: At one point in the 40-minute discussion, per the publication, “discussion turned to North Carolina Rep. Robert Pittenger, whose primary opponent, Mark Harris, is running with Bannon’s support.”

Bannon has also thrown his weight behind the comeback campaign of Michael Grimm, the former congressman who once threatened to physically assault a reporter for a question he asked. A year later, Grimm pleaded guilty to tax evasion.

Politico also reported that the NRCC officials also told Bannon they would not “impede his efforts” to elect conservative Republicans in open, reliably Republican seats. So far, more than a dozen House Republicans have said they will not seek re-election, most recently the powerful Republican Rep. Lamar Smith (R-TX).

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