Since leaving the White House, Steve Bannon, the former advisor to President Trump, is aggressively challenging the Republican establishment.
Bannon wants to oust establishment Republican Senators especially those that support Senator Mitch McConnell (R-KY) as the majority leader.
The political battle over the direction of the Republican party is not new. The tea party also fought the establishment wing of the GOP and that effort led to the election of conservatives in the Senate.
Senators Rand Paul (KY), Ted Cruz (TX), Mike Lee (UT), and Marco Rubio (FL) were elected with the help of the tea party movement.
McConnell is facing criticism from grassroots organizations, Bannon and President Trump but is being defended by establishment Republicans such as Senator Susan Collins (R-ME).
The combined effort of McConnell critics is trying to motivate the Senator to push tax reform legislation over the finish line.
If tax reform fails, Bannon's effort to replace liberal establishment Republicans will gain traction.