Steve Bannon says Michigan Republicans need to support President Trump’s agenda up through the 2018 elections and beyond.
Bannon, a former Trump Campaign CEO and Presidential Advisor, celebrated the anniversary of President Trump’s election by delivering the keynote speech at a Macomb County Republican party dinner Wednesday night.
Several hundred people filled the banquet room at the Andiamo restaurant in Warren.
Bannon spoke for roughly 45 minutes and earned a standing ovation from the crowd after a speech that covered ground from stories of last year’s campaign to the need for Republicans to start gearing up for 2018 elections, and why Donald Trump’s economic agenda is good for America and Macomb County.
Bannon said the 2018 elections will be tough battles for Republicans. However, he emphasized that President Trump’s agenda of “economic nationalism” – which he explained as prioritizing the well-being of American citizens – will help improve the country’s economy and lead to Republican election wins if there’s enough grassroots support.
He urged Republicans of all stripes, from small-government conservatives to “deplorable” Trump voters, to unite as a pro-Trump coalition to beat Democrats.
“If we help [Trump] in Washington D.C., and throughout the states, and places like Macomb County, there are going to be more better days than bad days, and the sunlit uplands are going to be ahead,” Bannon said.
Bannon dismissed Democratic victories in elections in several states this week, including Virginia, where Democrat Ralph Northam defeated Republican Ed Gillespie for the governorship on Tuesday. Bannon said he’s a Virginian himself and that nowadays “Virginia is a blue state.”
Prior to speaking, Bannon was seated directly next to Michigan Attorney General and Republican Gubernatorial candidate Bill Schuette.
Before the first speaker of the night took the stage, Schuette told reporters he was running for governor to turn Michigan around by creating more jobs. Asked what he and Bannon discussed when they met earlier in the day, Schuette said he just welcomed him to Michigan.
Schuette did say he appreciated support from President Trump, and claims to be the only politician to get two Twitter endorsements from the president (Trump’s first tweet endorsing Schuette misspelled the Attorney General’s name). Schuette also dismissed Democratic election victories this week.
“Trump did not win Virginia in 2016 so let’s get that straight,” Schuette said. “Trump didn’t win Virginia, he won Michigan. … we’re going to win again in 2018.”
Bannon echoed Schuette’s sentiment about jobs, saying people in Michigan know what it’s like to lose jobs overseas thanks to trade deals that he says are short-changing the United States. He repeated that Trump’s “America First" economic and foreign policy philosophy can help save the country from the likes of Democrats and the “progressive left.”
“You wanna take your country back and make it the country it used to be. They’re not going to give you your country back,” Bannon said. “You’re going to have to fight for it. You’re going to have to take it back.”
Bannon gave a lot of credit to Macomb County Republicans and Trump voters for helping President Trump narrowly win Michigan on election night last year. He said Macomb County helped “save the country.”
“You guys have the power, you just have to know how to use it. And on November 8th [2016], you did use it. You went to the ballot box and you voted,” Bannon said. “You saved the country. It’s the reason I had to come here tonight.”
