Republicans members of Congress and conservative media are united in blaming one person for their party’s loss in the deep red state of Alabama Tuesday night: Steve Bannon.
In a scathing editorial published late Tuesday evening, the Wall Street Journal ignited the revolt, declaring that “Bannon is for losers.”
“The Alabama result shows that Mr. Bannon cares less about conservative policy victories than he does personal king-making,” the editorial board wrote. “He wants to depose Mitch McConnell as Majority Leader even if it costs Republicans Senate control. GOP voters, take note: Mr. Bannon is for losers.”
Rep. Pete King (R-NY) lashed out on Twitter early Wednesday morning, encouraging his fellow Republicans to “DUMP Steve Bannon.”
After Alabama disaster GOP must do right thing and DUMP Steve Bannon. His act is tired, inane and morally vacuous. If we are to Make America Great Again for all Americans, Bannon must go! And go NOW!!
— Rep. Pete King (@RepPeteKing) December 13, 2017
In an interview on CNN’s “New Day” Wednesday morning, King took it further.
Saying Bannon looks like a “disheveled drunk that wandered onto the political stage,” he said the former White House official does not belong on the national stage.
“He sort of parades himself out there with his weird alt-right views that he has and to me it’s demeaning to the whole government and political process,” he said. “This is not the type of person we need in politics and last night’s election was a manifestation of the revulsion by the American people.”
Conservative members of the media and other prominent Republicans followed suit.
Meghan McCain, the outspoken media pundit and daughter of Sen. John McCain (R-AZ), had a simple message for the former White House chief strategist.
Suck it, Bannon
— Meghan McCain (@MeghanMcCain) December 13, 2017
Rich Lowry, the editor of the conservative National Review, said the Republican defeat in Alabama should be a lesson to other states where Bannon “wants to run a fringy candidate.”
Lesson for the GOP: if there is a bridge too far in Alabama, there is a bridge too far in every other state where Steve Bannon wants to run a fringy candidate
— Rich Lowry (@RichLowry) December 13, 2017
Josh Holmes, the former chief of staff and campaign manager for Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY), tweeted his harsh criticism for Bannon, as well as Republican Gov. Kay Ivey, before the race was even called for Democrat Doug Jones. He thanked Bannon for “showing us how to lose the reddest state in the union.”
Before we get the results, I'd just like to thank Steve Bannon for showing us how to lose the reddest state in the union and Governor Ivey for the opportunity to make this national embarrassment a reality
— Josh Holmes (@HolmesJosh) December 13, 2017
The Senate Leadership Fund also released a statement blaming Bannon for the shocking blow to the party’s grip in the Senate.
Senate Leadership Fund blaming Steve Bannon for tonight: pic.twitter.com/DhBdN3flTV
— Elaina Plott (@elainaplott) December 13, 2017
Sen. Jeff Flake (R-AZ), who has been vocal about his disdain for Moore, was one of the few Republican members of Congress to respond to the loss in Alabama Tuesday night.
Decency wins
— Jeff Flake (@JeffFlake) December 13, 2017
In the weeks leading up to the election, Moore was accused by multiple women of pursing relationships or making inappropriate sexual advances toward them when they were teens and Moore was in his 30s, revelations that likely led conservatives in a deeply Republican state to question their party allegiance.
Bannon, who has vowed to campaign against multiple establishment Republican members of Congress up for reelection this year, was a Moore supporter from the start, breaking with President Trump who backed incumbent Sen. Luther Strange in the primaries.
