Republican establishment opens its doors to Steve Bannon

The Republican establishment that Steve Bannon is agitating to overthrow is welcoming the nationalist firebrand through the front door to pitch his rebellion to the party faithful.

The California Republican Party's fall convention this past Friday; Washington's conservative Hudson Institute think tank on Monday; and a scheduled Macomb County, Mich., GOP "unity" dinner on Nov. 8.

Bannon is leveraging his connection with President Trump in these settings to urge grassroots conservatives and Republican insiders to oust party leaders in Congress and discard decades of traditional policy.

"It's a forum to continue his war to destroy the GOP from the inside," said a Republican strategist, who requested anonymity in order to speak candidly.

Bannon, at the helm of Breitbart News, was the CEO of Trump's presidential campaign and then served as his chief strategist in the White House before exiting in August.