Bannon and allies bid to expand pro-Trump influence in local US politics

Growing drive by hardcore Trumpists spurs election watchdogs to voice alarm about threat to American democracy

Key Donald Trump loyalists Steve Bannon and Michael Flynn are at the forefront of a drive to expand Trumpist influence at the local level of US politics while forging ahead with efforts aimed at promoting baseless claims that Joe Biden's 2020 election victory was fraudulent.

The growing drive by Trump's hardcore allies has spurred election watchdog groups to voice alarm about the threat to democracy posed by Flynn and Bannon - and other Trump acolytes - as they combine debunked claims about election fraud and calls for further 2020 election audits with planning conservative takeovers of official positions that run US elections.