No, Florida Democrats are not going to have a repeat of 2013. As you may recall, strings were pulled, arms were twisted, people were bought off in 2013 to get Allison Tant in as Florida Democratic Party chair.
Stephen Bittel has decided he will rinse and repeat that cycle, and because he has much more money, it will be even easier.
While on the surface it looked as if that may be the case, and Bittel was maneuvering himself into position to take over the party, apparently grassroots Democrats are fighting back.
Now, while there have been various bad actors within the Miami-Dade DEC -- and if the rumors are true that newly elected Vice Chair Dotie Joseph has joined said bad actors, that is VERY disappointing -- what IS emerging down there is making me very happy.
Sometimes it takes these low-down dirty dogs doing their backstabbing to wake up the good people, and convince them to come together! And come together they are, in a major way!
The Miami-Dade grassroots Democrats are not taking this lying down!
Several contingency plans have been activated!
What I'm seeing, though, isn't just the people in Miami-Dade coming together. Democrats all over Florida are joining in to say "No To Stephen Bittel".
You would think this was one of the men who ran into the twin towers on 9/11, the way folks are banding together to keep him from becoming chair of the FDP.
People who once were foes are now becoming allies!
Statewide, people have sprung into action, on a "defeat Stephen Bittel" campaign.
Now, one would think that Sen. -- and possibly "former Sen." if he doesn't pay attention -- Bill Nelson would realize the people he is going to need to vote for him do NOT want Bittel running this party. And he needs to pay attention.
Rick Scott is going to be a formidable opponent for Nelson in 2018. If we don't have Nelson's back, he can start taking selfies in the woods with Hillary Clinton.
We didn't like it when Charlie Crist was forced down our throats.
We didn't like it when Patrick Murphy was forced down our throats.
We don't want Stephen Bittel forced down our throats.
The people are entitled to decide who we want for chair of the Democratic Party.
Stephen Bittel is an extension of Debbie Wasserman Schultz. Debbie Wasserman Schultz is an extension of Stephen Bittel.
It is time for fresh blood, fresh faces, new ideas.
Bittel has money. What he wants is to cling to his access to Washington.
With Wasserman Schultz out in disgrace as DNC chair, his connections are drying up.
Even with his money, and his position as treasurer, he was not well-liked at the DNC. My question is, what is his end game?
Is he looking to become the chair of chairs? Is he looking for something national?
Stephen Bittel can't possibly JUST want to be FDP chair.
Stay tuned, folks.
My contacts in Washington are letting me know ...
Leslie Wimes is founder and president of Women on the Move and the Democratic African American Women Caucus, www.daawc.com. Follow Leslie on Twitter: @womenonthemove1.
