Former New York Rep. Michael Grimm (R) is gearing up to retake his old congressional seat with the help of an "excited" Stephen Bannon, according to a new report.

Newsweek reported Thursday that the former Republican congressman, who served seven months in prison after pleading guilty to felony tax fraud in 2015, says he and the former White House chief strategist will be working together to retake his former congressional seat in 2018.

“We're definitely going to work together. ... And I can say that Steve Bannon was very excited about it,” Grimm told Newsweek. Asked what made him convinced that Bannon would be on his side, Grimm replied: "His reaction!"

ADVERTISEMENT

“I mean, he's not the type of guy that shows emotion easily, but I could tell he was definitely excited," Grimm added.

Last month, Bannon campaigned for conservative firebrand Roy Moore, who defeated incumbent Sen. Luther Strange Luther Johnson StrangeSessions hits back at Trump days ahead of Alabama Senate runoff The biggest political upsets of the decade State 'certificate of need' laws need to go MORE (R-Ala.) in a GOP Senate special election primary.

Bannon, who left the White House earlier this year and returned to Breitbart News, has pointed to Sen. Bob Corker Robert (Bob) Phillips CorkerHas Congress captured Russia policy? Tennessee primary battle turns nasty for Republicans Cheney clashes with Trump MORE's (R-Tenn.) announcement that he will not seek reelection in 2018 as a sign of the GOP establishment's weakened strength.

"Last night we talked about starting a revolution with Judge Moore's victory. Well, Sen. Corker stepped down today, he's not going to run for reelection," Bannon said at Moore's victory speech.



"You are going to see, in state after state after state, people that follow the model of Judge Moore, that do not have to raise money from the elites, the crony capitalists, from the fat cats in Washington, D.C., New York City and Silicon Valley."

Grimm's former seat is currently held by fellow Republican Rep. Dan Donovan, who in 2010 unsuccessfully ran for New York attorney general against Democrat Eric Schneiderman.