Politics

REPORT: Bannon Offered To Campaign For Ed Gillespie But Was Denied

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Henry Rodgers Chief National Correspondent
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Former presidential adviser Steve Bannon offered to rally for former Republican gubernatorial candidate Ed Gillespie, but was reportedly denied by Gillespie’s campaign.

Bannon was extremely unhappy with Gillespie’s decision to deny his offer, according to ABC reporter Tara Palmeri. A spokesman for Bannon also blasted Gillespie on Election Day for declining to go on his Breitbart radio show, saying he was “inauthentic” and had “no message.”

“Two sources close to Bannon say he offered to rally for Gillespie but the campaign rejected it election day. Bannon camp fuming tonight,” Palmeri tweeted Tuesday night.

Democratic opponent Lt. Governor Ralph Northam easily beat Gillespie at the polls Tuesday, 53 percent to 45 percent. Northam consistently led in the polls throughout the election and Virginia has not elected a Republican to state-wide office since 2009. The election took national importance as President Donald Trump backed Gillespie. However, Virginia was the only southern state that Hillary Clinton won in 2016.

Bannon’s political adviser criticized Gillespie for campaigning with former President George W. Bush, and said he ran away from Trump.

“Ed Gillespie had no message, was inauthentic, spoke from both sides of his mouth, and at the end of the day, even the deplorables couldn’t save him,” Bannon’s political adviser, Andrew Surabian, told The Daily Beast Tuesday. “Gillespie campaigned with George W. Bush, [but] ran from President Trump.”

The Daily Caller News Foundation reached out to a spokesperson for Bannon, but did not receive a response in time for publication.

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