McConnell allies are questioning Bannon’s motives.

Ousting senators with demonstrated loyalty to the White House isn’t a viable strategy for easing passage of Trump’s agenda in a chamber where the Republicans hold a razor-thing majority. They can afford to lose just two votes on 51-vote bills like tax reform if Democrats are unanimously opposed, as is typical.

Bannon’s approach “would be exactly what someone would do if their only goal was to derail the Trump agenda and drain the resources of the Republican Party,” one GOP insider said.