President Trump reassured three GOP Senate incumbents this week that he would back their reelection bids against any primary challengers.
Politico reported Thursday that Trump called Sens. John BarrassoJohn Anthony BarrassoGOP senators urge Trump to back off Murkowski threat House Democrats roll out 0B green transportation infrastructure bill IRS proposes guidance for expanded carbon capture tax credit MORE (R-Wyo.), Deb FischerDebra (Deb) Strobel FischerBipartisan senators seek funding for pork producers forced to euthanize livestock Top Georgia Republican endorses Doug Collins Senate bid Senators balance coronavirus action with risks to health MORE (R-Neb.) and Roger WickerRoger Frederick WickerPrivate lawsuits are a necessary expedient in privacy legislation Bottom line GOP faces internal conflicts on fifth coronavirus bill MORE (R-Miss.) to tell them he would support them in the 2018 midterm elections and that he hopes they win.
“The president has been very supportive, and Senator Barrasso is grateful that President Trump would take the time to call him directly to express his support,” Barrasso aide Dan Kunsman told Politico.
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The president is expected to eventually offer formal endorsements of the incumbents, according to the report.
That Trump is seeking to reassure Republicans facing potentially primary challenges from insurgent candidates comes as his former chief strategist, Stephen Bannon, prepares to launch an electoral assault on establishment Republicans.
The move also aligns Trump more closely with Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnellAddison (Mitch) Mitchell McConnellSenate advances public lands bill in late-night vote GOP senator to try to reverse requirement that Pentagon remove Confederate names from bases No, ‘blue states’ do not bail out ‘red states’ MORE (R-Ky.), who has warned that the anti-establishment candidates backed by Bannon, now the executive chair of Breitbart News, are unlikely to win in general elections.
According to Politico, Bannon has privately expressed a desire to oust Barrasso, Fischer and Wicker, all of whom have received McConnell’s support.
Two months after leaving the White House, Bannon has already become a thorn in the side of McConnell and the GOP establishment. The former chief strategist backed Roy Moore in Alabama’s Senate GOP primary race. Moore defeated incumbent Sen. Luther StrangeLuther Johnson StrangeThe biggest political upsets of the decade State ‘certificate of need’ laws need to go GOP frets over nightmare scenario for Senate primaries MORE (R-Ala.) in a runoff last month, despite Strange receiving endorsements from Trump and McConnell.
Bannon has openly declared a “season of war” against McConnell and the establishment wing of the Republican Party and is looking for candidates to challenge GOP incumbents in 2018.
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