Bannon slams GOP leaders in fight for Alabama Senate seat

Steve Bannon ripped into Mitt Romney for working as a missionary during the Vietnam War, claiming that Senate candidate Roy Moore has more integrity than Romney’s ‘entire family.’

Bannon, 64, made the shocking statement about Romney while he was campaigning for Moore in Fairhope, Alabama Tuesday night. 

His comment is in response to the former 70-year-old Massachusetts governor’s tweet that said that having ‘Moore in the US Senate would be a stain on the GOP and on the nation.’

Of Romney, the former White House chief strategist, told the crowd in Fairhope that Moore ‘has more honor and integrity in [his] pinky finger than your entire family has in its whole DNA.’

Bannon noted that Moore graduated from the United States Military Academy, while Romney received a draft deferment in 1966 for his missionary work in France where he spent two-and-a-half years. 

He added, ‘You hid behind your religion. You went to France to be a missionary while guys were dying in rice paddies.’ 

Bannon made the statement about Romney (above left in 1965 with his father center and brother Scott right) in response to him tweeting about Moore being a ‘stain on the GOP and on the nation’ if he won the election to the Senate 

Bannon noted that Moore graduated from the U.S. Military Academy, while Romney (top center in 1960s) received a draft deferment for his missionary work in France. He said: ‘You hid behind your religion. You went to France to be a missionary while guys were dying in rice paddies.’

Romney, the former governor of Massachusetts, tweeted the above statement about Moore on Monday night

Bannon’s appearance at the rally Tuesday night comes a week before polling day in the state for the special election race between Democrat Doug Jones and Moore.

The campaign between the two has been widely dominated by the sexual misconduct allegations made against Moore by several woman – accusations that he molested two teenage girls and pursued romantic relationships with several others while in his 30s. The 70-year-old has denied the allegations. 

Bannon savaged national Republican leaders in a fiery call to rally voters behind the embattled Senate candidate and called GOP leaders in Congress ‘cowards’.

‘They want to destroy Judge Roy Moore. You know why? They want to take your voice away,’ Bannon said as Moore looked on. 

‘If they can destroy Roy Moore, they can destroy you.’ 

‘The days of taking it silently are over,’ Bannon declared at a rally that drew hundreds of Moore supporters to a local farm in the southwestern corner of the state. 

Even if he isn’t well-known in this heavily Republican county, Bannon’s appearance was a welcome development for Moore, who has been shunned by the Republican Party’s biggest stars. 

Of Romney, the former White House chief strategist (above Tuesday), told the crowd in Fairhope that Moore ‘has more honor and integrity in [his] pinky finger than your entire family has in its whole DNA.’

Bannon’s appearance was a welcome development for Moore (above Tuesday), who has been shunned by the Republican Party’s biggest stars. While speaking, Moore cast himself as a political outsider fighting the establishment in both parties, just like Trump did one year ago

Trump himself agreed to campaign later in the week in nearby Florida, but many national GOP leaders say the allegations against Moore are credible and he shouldn’t serve in the Senate.

Earlier in the day, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said that Moore, if elected on December 12, would ‘immediately have an issue with the Ethics Committee’ – a process that could lead to his ultimate expulsion from the Senate. 

Some Republicans, including Colorado Sen. Cory Gardner, have already promised expulsion.

Another Republican, Arizona Sen. Jeff Flake, sent a $100 check to Moore’s Democratic opponent, Doug Jones on Tuesday. He tweeted a picture of the check and the words, ‘Country over party.’ 

Outside the event, about three dozen protesters, some dressed as handmaidens to symbolize Moore’s accusers, chanted, ‘We want a senator, not a predator.’

Many gathered inside Oak Hollow Farm’s barn have dismissed the allegations as fake. Some didn’t seem to mind them, even if true.

‘What girl hasn’t been kissed at 17 years old?’ asked Diane Myrick, 69, of nearby Bon Secour. ‘I know a girl who got married at 14.’

Moore didn’t address the sexual misconduct allegations he’s facing on Tuesday night

Moore is running against Democratic senatorial candidate Doug Jones (above on Monday) for to replace Jeff Session who is now the U.S. Attorney General

Moore didn’t address the allegations directly on Tuesday night. 

Instead, he cast himself as a political outsider fighting the establishment in both parties, just like Trump did one year ago. He also reminded Alabama voters of his focus on Christian conservative values.

‘I know we do not need transgender in our military,’ Moore said. ‘If I’m in a foxhole, I don’t want to know whether this guy next to me is wondering if he’s a woman or a man.’

Bannon’s presence had less to do with Moore’s religious convictions than with their shared disdain for Washington Republicans.

Moore was twice removed from his state Supreme Court position, once for disobeying a federal court order to remove a Ten Commandments monument from the lobby of the state judicial building and later for urging state probate judges to defy the U.S. Supreme Court decision that legalized gay marriage.

Bannon is far more focused on economic populism and immigration. But, like Bannon, Moore has promised to stand up to McConnell, a Republican who is deeply unpopular among many diehard Trump supporters.

‘They don’t want somebody up there with an independent mind,’ Moore said.

While Bannon is hardly a household name in Alabama – some rally attendees barely knew who he was – he served as Trump’s chief strategist during the final months of his presidential campaign and in the early months of his presidency. He was pushed out of the White House in August.

Supporters pray during a campaign rally for Republican candidate for Moore on Tuesday

People hold up signs in support of Moore during Tuesday night’s rally in Fairhope, Alabama at Oak Hollow Farm

Bannon has resumed his leadership role at the pro-Trump Breitbart News and launched a broad campaign to take down establishment Republicans across the nation.

‘What Steve does is he motivates base voters to turn out, which is the entire key to this election,’ said Andy Surabian, senior adviser to the outside group Great America Alliance, which sometimes works with Bannon.

Moore may get a bigger boost on Friday when Trump hosts a campaign-style rally in Pensacola, Florida, which is less than 20 miles from the Alabama border. 

The Republican president formally endorsed Moore on Monday and directed the Republican National Committee to send some financial assistance after withdrawing roughly a dozen staffers last month.

The RNC made two transfers to the Alabama GOP this week designed to benefit Moore’s campaign – one of $50,000 and another of $120,000 – according to one RNC official who was not authorized to speak publicly.

Earlier in the day, roughly 250 miles to the north, Moore’s Democratic opponent called Moore an embarrassment who would be a ‘disaster’ for Alabama in Washington.

President Donald Trump (above on Tuesday) formally endorsed Moore on Monday and directed the Republican National Committee to send some financial assistance after withdrawing roughly a dozen staffers last month

‘I damn sure believe that I have done my part to ensure that men who hurt little girls should go to jail and not the United States Senate,’ Jones said during a campaign stop in Birmingham, referring to his own record as a former federal prosecutor.

But some in Alabama welcomed Moore’s hardline devotion to Christian conservative values and attacks on the Republican establishment.

Frank Blakeman, a former history teacher from nearby Foley, Ala., described Moore as a continuation of Trump’s conservative movement.

‘There has been a tug in this country overall to one side,’ Blakeman said before the rally. 

‘I think Roy Moore represents the wish and desire of the other half of the country to pull that back across. 

‘Is he extreme in some of his views? Yes, I think he is. Since politics is a tug of war, you need people to pull to at least get it back somewhere in the middle.’