By Dave Goldiner November 28, 2017

Lee Zeldin (R-Long Island) has defended his decision to hold a Manhattan fundraiser headlined by far-right flamethrower Steve Bannon.

Zeldin, a two-term incumbent who is considered a top target of Democrats in the 2018 midterm elections, confirmed reports that he has joined forces with Bannon, the former White House adviser who has declared war on the Republican establishment.

Long Island Congressman explains why he welcomes the support and fundraising of Steve Bannon ¯_(ツ)_/¯ pic.twitter.com/8WqT6bRHCj

Forwarding the News

Thoughtful, balanced reporting from the Forward and around the web, bringing you updated news and analysis of the crisis each day.

Terms(Required)

I agree to the Forward's Terms of Service and Privacy Policy

Email(Required)

— Josh Marshall (@joshtpm) November 27, 2017

“He’s gotten a bad rap in a lot of respects,” Zeldin told CNN’s Wolf Blitzer. “I’ve heard him called a Nazi or a Nazi sympathizer.”

“There’s a lot about his background that people don’t know,” said Zeldin, who represents a moderate swing district that would appear to be unfriendly turf for Bannon’s scorched-earth populism. The Breitbart News boss has recently pushed hard for accused pedophile Roy Moore in his run for Senate from Alabama.

“He could do a better job of defending himself,” Zeldin said. “I agree with him in some respects and I might disagree with him in others.”

Zeldin, who is one of just two GOP Jewish members of Congress, pointed to Bannon’s strong support for Israel and his forecful opposition to the BDS movement as reasons to accept his active backing.

With President Trump’s popularity at a historic low, Bannon has said he plans to mount far right-wing challenges to a string of Republican lawmakers in 2018, amid signs Democrats could have a serious chance of retaking the House and Senate.

A message from our CEO & publisher Rachel Fishman Feddersen

I hope you appreciated this article. Before you go, I’d like to ask you to please support the Forward’s award-winning, nonprofit journalism during this critical time.

Now more than ever, American Jews need independent news they can trust, with reporting driven by truth, not ideology. We serve you, not any ideological agenda

At a time when other newsrooms are closing or cutting back, the Forward has removed its paywall and invested additional resources to report on the ground from Israel and around the U.S. on the impact of the war, rising antisemitism and polarized discourse..

Readers like you make it all possible. Support our work by becoming a Forward Member and connect with our journalism and your community.

—  Rachel Fishman Feddersen, Publisher and CEO

Join our mission to tell the Jewish story fully and fairly.

$36 $500

$120 $180 Other amount