Group linked to Bannon runs tough ad against Sen. Strange before Alabama runoff

An outside group linked to Steve Bannon is venturing into the closely watched Alabama special election with a hard-hitting commercial that goes after Republican incumbent Sen. Luther Strange, as well as Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, Bannon’s nemesis.

The spot , from the pro-Trump organization Great America Alliance, describes Strange as a “big time lobbyist” who was “appointed by the swamp” and is “in the pocket of Mitch McConnell.”


“It’s time to drain the swamp,” the ad says. “Take your voice to Washington, and vote for someone to represent you. On Sept. 26, don’t let the swamp take over Alabama.”

The ad also features a clip of former Alabama Gov. Robert Bentley saying that he consulted with McConnell before appointing Strange to the Senate seat, which was vacated when Jeff Sessions became attorney general.

With just two weeks until the GOP runoff, Bannon has declared his support for Roy Moore, the former Alabama Supreme court chief justice, who is running as an insurgent. By backing Moore, Bannon is going up against McConnell, who is boosting Strange and has directed millions of dollars toward his campaign.

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President Donald Trump endorsed Strange last month. But he has been conspicuously silent about the race since the first round of voting on Aug. 15, when Moore finished ahead of Strange. The White House has been noncommittal on what, if anything, the president will do in support of Strange before the runoff.

The Alabama race is the first front in what Bannon has described as a broader battle against McConnell that is expected to play out in Republican primaries across the country. The bomb-throwing former Trump chief strategist has expressed an interest in supporting primary challengers to McConnell-backed incumbents in several states, including Arizona, Nevada, and Tennessee.

Bannon has taken early steps to turn Great America Alliance into an apparatus that could be used to take on incumbents. Last week, he installed his political adviser, Andrew Surabian, at the group.

Great America Alliance also plans to begin airing a pro-Moore digital advertisement that says the former judge “isn’t the D.C. swamp’s choice, but he is Alabama’s choice.”

A spokesperson for the group declined to say how much was being spent to run the commercials. Great America Alliance is also expected to air TV ads and is planning a pro-Moore bus tour in Alabama leading up to the runoff.

The winner of the late-September runoff will face off in a Dec. 12 general election against the Democratic candidate, former U.S. Attorney Doug Jones. Recent polls have shown Moore with a substantial lead in the runoff.

