Rep. Keith Ellison. | AP Photo/David Zalubowski Congressman Keith Ellison, frontrunner for DNC chair, to endorse Bittel for Florida Democratic Party chair post 'I’m proud to have the support from Keith Ellison, who is a leader of the progressive movement,' Bittel tells POLITICO Florida

MIAMI — U.S. Rep. Keith Ellison, a leading candidate to head the national Democratic Party, plans to endorse major Miami donor Stephen Bittel for Florida Democratic Party Chair in a move that helps settle warring factions of the state and national parties.

“I’m proud to have the support from Keith Ellison, who is a leader of the progressive movement,” Bittel told POLITICO Florida, which first reported Thursday that the two were in talks. “I’m excited to engage the grassroots of our party who have been such an important part of the Democratic Party.”


The endorsement from Ellison surprised Democratic insiders because the Minnesota congressman is aligned with supporters of former presidential candidate Bernie Sanders, while Bittel was a member in good standing of Hillary Clinton’s team.

Sanders endorsed Ellison for DNC chair just a day after the group Our Revolution — a political organization launched by Sanders’ supporters — endorsed Bittel’s rival in the state Democratic Party chair race, Miami state Sen. Dwight Bullard.

Neither Bittel nor Bullard currently qualify to even run for Florida state party chair yet because neither is an officer in their local county party. But a spot opened up last Saturday when newly elected Miami-Dade state committeeman Bret Berlin stepped aside to create a vacancy. Both Bittel and Bullard announced they’d run for that seat. The election is Dec. 20.

For Bittel, Ellison's support would signal a grassroots coup that helps him combat the criticism that he's buying support for the seat because he's a major party donor. For Ellison, backing Bittel — a staunch defender of Israel — could help quiet Jewish critics who believe the Muslim congressman is out of step with a major faction of the Democratic Party.

Like Ellison, Bullard has run afoul of Jewish Democrats who believe he's too sympathetic to critics of Israel. But Bullard's supporters at Our Revolution say the Florida state senator has a better network of grassroots support that would inspire rank-and-file Democrats in Florida after Republicans dominated in the November elections.

Ellison could not be reached for comment.

"This could … be great for both Steve and Ellison," a source said.

Ellison intends to visit South Miami in the coming weeks and be personally introduced by Bittel to South Florida Democrats and donors

As one of the Florida party’s most generous donors, Bittel has helped keep Miami-Dade Democrats afloat and was a top backer of former DNC chair and U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, whom Sanders supporters blamed for favoring Clinton during the presidential primary. Wasserman Schultz denied the charges.

Sanders supporters signaled Wednesday that they don’t see Bittel’s largesse as a positive attribute.

“An extremely wealthy donor wants to buy his way to lead Florida's Democratic Party, and the only thing between him and control of the party is our political revolution,” Shannon Jackson, Our Revolution’s executive director, wrote in a letter to their supporters. The group is based in Washington.

UPDATED at 4:20 p.m. noting Bittel confirming that Ellison is endorsing him as Florida Democratic Party chair.