OPINION: This article may contain commentary which reflects the author's opinion.
Top podcaster and former Trump adviser Steve Bannon has made another major prediction ahead of the crucial November midterms.
Bannon, who hosts a weekday show on Real America’s Voice streaming network, made his comments in the wake of an event attended by Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and Democratic Sen. Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona at the University of Kentucky.
During the event, which was held at the McConnell Center on the campus of the university earlier this week, the GOP leader praised the moderate Democrat for her frequent displays of bipartisanship, calling her “most effective first-term senator” he has seen during his Senate career, The Western Journal reported.
Bannon, in making the assumption that Republicans would win back control of the chamber, predicted that Sinema would begin caucusing with the GOP.
“Senator Sinema is looking downrange at the ‘24 cycle when the Republicans will only increase the majority they win in the Senate in ‘22 …the ‘24 cycle is that strong — watch her switch parties or go ‘independent’ and caucus with the Majority,” Bannon noted on GETTR in a post containing a link to a story from The Hill which claimed that McConnell is “cozying up” to Sinema.
At the McConnell Center event, the Kentucky GOP leader said of Sinema: “She is, today, what we have too few of in the Democratic Party: a genuine moderate and a dealmaker.”
Sinema also offered praise for McConnell.
“Despite our apparent differences, Sen. McConnell and I have forged a friendship, one that is rooted in our commonalities, including our pragmatic approach to legislating, our respect for the Senate as an institution,” she said.
The Arizona Dem also drew some ire from other members of her party when she appeared to predict that Republicans would be in charge after the November elections.
“As you all know, control changes between the House and the Senate every couple of years. It’s likely to change again in just a few weeks” Sinema said.
The Arizona Democrat also called her position on keeping the 60-vote filibuster rule in place “incredibly unpopular.”
Noting that she has regularly spoken against ditching the rule, she went on to say that if she had her way, she would actually require 60 votes for more legislation and actions.
“It would make it harder for us to confirm judges. And it would make it harder for us to confirm executive appointments in each administration,” she said, though it would also create “more of that middle ground in all parts of our governance.”
Complaining about the filibuster “represents solely the short-term angst of not getting what you want. And those of you who are parents in the room know that the best thing you can do for your child is not [to] give them everything they want,” she added.
Meanwhile, earlier this month, Vice President Kamala Harris, a former U.S. senator for California, threatened to blow up the filibuster rule completely if Democrats keep control of the Senate and expand their majority so they can pass any legislation Democrats want without having to worry about any Republican support.
“In less than two months, we are looking at a midterm election in which so much is on the line. Take, for example, the issue of choice. The United States Supreme Court in the Dobbs decision just took away a constitutional right that had been recognized from the women of America from the people of America,” Harris told Chuck Todd during an edition of “Meet the Press.”
“Well, how does that relate to the midterms? Our president has said he will not let the filibuster get in the way. If the Senate though a majority voter, votes to pass the Women’s Health Protection Act, he will sign it into law. You know what that means in the midterms? We need to hold on to the Senate and get two more then we can put into the law the protections of Roe v. Wade. Everything is on the line when you think about the millions of women and the people in America that care about them who understand the significance of women making the decisions about her own body,” she said.
“If the Democrats get 52 Senate seats or more, legislative filibuster gone? Or just on this issue?” host Chuck Todd said.
“The president has been clear on this issue and on another very important issue which is voting rights,” Harris responded.
