![By Cary Bass demandez (Made by Cary Bass demandez.) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons](https://thefloridasqueeze.files.wordpress.com/2016/12/miami-dade_county_outline-svg.png)
By Cary Bass demandez (Made by Cary Bass demandez.) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons
With the election of Bittel, the race now includes him and three others: Leah Carius, Osceola Chair, Lisa King SCW from Duval County, and Alan Clendenin, SCM from Hillsborough? No. Manatee? No. Bradford County! YES! Finally found one. Good for him.
I have to mention that I was struck in the difference between the two floor speeches in Miami-Dade tonight. Bittel led with a bitter complaint about his treatment in social media. In contrast, Dwight Bullard’s floor speech by a surrogate was a rousing call to action to recognize that the future of the party (young voters) seeks new leadership. If Bittel thinks social media was mean to him last week, he’s going to have a rude awakening should he actually be elected. Should he advance to run state party operations, hopefully he’ll have the good sense to hire a comms team that can write better copy for him.
The unofficial count was 250/Bittel, 168 Bullard and 45/provisionals, as reported by a compatriot on the scene.
Speaking of compatriots on the scene, indie reporter Ben America was kicked out of the media corral and harassed for doing his job. Pushing out new media reporters like Ben just reinforces the organization’s reputation for petty gamesmanship. We should expect better.
That’s all for now. More as it becomes available.
The Florida Squeeze 
Yes, Bradford County welcomes Alan Clendenin and the possibility of input to the state party. Democrats aren’t winning by putting all their effort in the urban counties. Rural counties are dominated by the GOP, but our votes, all totaled, can tip the balance in multi-county and state-wide races. We need to re-evaluate state strategies, and progressives have been calling for more wide-spread grassroots efforts for quite a while.
Is Steve Bittel the billionaire friend of Debbie Wasserman-Schultz? Looking forward to your next article about this contest.
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Last nights vote would have been an easy one had I still been a D.E.C. member in Miami-Dade. Bittel was the best choice for that post (State Committeeman), but that doesn’t exactly mean I want him to be State Chair. Clendenin is an appealing choice, and should have got it several years ago. He is right that we need a 67 county strategy. We’ll see how the race shakes out and may the best man win (for the sake of the party). I was unimpressed by the Berniebots & youngsters I read that heckled Bittel last night. These folks have no ties or commitment to the party and we will be better off once they move on to the next trendy thing. A reminder, Bernie Sanders is STILL NOT a member of the Democratic Party.
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Mark our action wasn’t meant to inpress you or any other corpocrat. Your time has passed and you are irrelevant. For the thousand of people who watch the livestream: We are the Inspiring ones!!! You have missed the point, we are not stronger together. This is a hostile takeover my friend. You are just sad history.
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Sorry kid, prove your loyalty first & pay your dues. Your vision (if you have one) would make the Democratic Party a permanent minority!! Don’t worry my “friend” I battled your type back in the late 80s & early 90s & helped Bill Clinton bring us back to the promised land. I’m a lifelong committed Democrat.
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[…] mogul from southeast Florida who claims to be a progressive and an ace fundraiser. Per my colleague Brook Hines, Bittel’s floor speech at yesterday’s Miami-Dade Democrats meeting was defensive and if I am interpreting correctly smacked of a rich entitled white guy whining about […]
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