The Populist War

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Republicans may soon dominate the U.S. Senate, as 25 of the 34 senators up for re-election in 2018 are Democrats, and nine of those seats are in ruby-red states that went for President Donald Trump and his populist agenda — spearheaded largely by Steve Bannon in 2016.

The Senate's failure to prioritize the Pain Capable Unborn Protection Act is the latest example of the do-nothing Establishment Republican party. The measure passed the House and is guaranteed to be signed by President Trump. Outlawing abortion after babies are 20 weeks' gestation isn't being pushed by the Senate controlled by Establishment GOP senators.

Last week, GOP Whip Sen. John Cornyn was asked if the Senate would take up the legislation. "That's not a near-term priority," replied Cornyn. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell wasn't overly concerned about the bill, saying it "hasn't been scheduled" for a vote.

If the recent victory by populist candidate Judge Roy Moore over the Establishment GOP's Sen. Luther Strange in Alabama is any indication, the populist movement is alive and well, with Steve Bannon at the helm. Bannon isn't only targeting the obstructionist Democrats in the Senate in next year's midterm Senate elections, but also the do-nothing Republicans who fail to replace Obamacare or defund Planned Parenthood.

In the runup to Moore's victory, Bannon didn't mince words. "Mitch McConnell and this permanent political class is the most corrupt and incompetent group of individuals in this country," he railed.

For the Senate's upcoming primary race, Bannon has promised to rally populist candidates to take back the Republican party from the Establishment before going on to beat the obstructionist Democrats in 2018.

Watch the panel discuss the importance of midterms in The Download—The Populist War.

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