Any power struggle between the Republican establishment and the populist right will now happen in the Oval Office. Donald Trump named Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus the next chief of staff while elevating Breitbart CEO Steve Bannon to the post of chief strategist.
The announcement could be a sign of future fusionism or an advertisement for a White House cage fight. Regardless of the outcome, one major Tea Party group is already betting big on Bannon.
“We are encouraged by the announcement today that Reince Priebus and Steve Bannon will serve as ‘equal partners’ in the Trump Administration,” Tea Party Patriots Founder Jenny Beth Martin told The Washington Examiner.
When the chief of staff job was still open though, a more pugnacious Martin told CNN on Saturday that Priebus was “a Washington insider” who would make it more difficult for the next administration to drain the swamp. Bannon’s new job seemed to comfort Martin on Sunday.
“Our hope is that both men understand the great opportunity the new administration will have to propel America forward economically, ensure our national security, and provide for a debt-free future,” Martin added.
On the surface, the group approves of the detente. But while the Tea Party has smiled on Priebus, it has done so with conditions. The activists approve of the Wisconsin operative’s “first among staffers status,” so long as Bannon can comfortably whisper in Trump’s ear.
But if there’s a fight, they will throw their weight behind the brawler from Breitbart.
The working relationship between the two men is a bit of a microcosm of the current Republican Party. Both worked in tandem to win the White House. But they couldn’t have emerged from more opposite corners. While Priebus wears party brass on his shoulders, Bannon enjoys populist street cred. And they’re working with each other for now.
There’s clearly plenty to tussle over. The Republican brand which Priebus represents used to embody free trade and business interests. Bannon’s more populist wing supports an end to globalism and more protections against the world market.
The two champions have now entered the cliché Thunderdome, carrying their respective factions’ hopes with them. Priebus wields a prestigious job title for now. But Bannon has not done so badly and he has an army.
Philip Wegmann is a commentary writer for the Washington Examiner.
