Liberal activist and filmmaker Michael Moore and his allies on the left are furiously making the case for Rep. Keith Ellison (D-Minn.) to be the next Democratic National Committee (DNC) leader, casting Saturday’s election as a battle between the old guard and the new.

“The Democrats have a real chance to change things and I know that there’s 400 members plus on the DNC. If any of them are watching right now, you’ve got to do the right thing here,” Moore said on CNN on Thursday night.

“The old guard, God bless them, they’ve got to go. We need fresh blood in there. We need new people. We need Keith Ellison as the DNC chair. To just put in what the old guard wants again — what’s the message to young people out there?”

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Moore has supported Ellison since Election Day, but he and other key figures from the left have increasingly begun framing the vote for DNC chairman as one between the grassroots, represented by Ellison, and the establishment, represented by former Labor Secretary Tom Perez.

Perez has been endorsed by former Vice President Joe Biden Joe BidenCast of 'Parks and Rec' reunite for virtual town hall to address Wisconsin voters Biden says Trump should step down over coronavirus response Biden tells CNN town hall that he has benefited from white privilege MORE and other key members of the Obama administration, such as former Attorney General Eric Holder Eric Himpton HolderThe Hill's Campaign Report: Trump's rally risk | Biden ramps up legal team | Biden hits Trump over climate policy Biden campaign forming 'special litigation' team ahead of possible voting battle Pompeo, Engel poised for battle in contempt proceedings MORE.

Democrats have done their best to keep from turning the race for DNC chair into a replay of the 2016 presidential primary between Hillary Clinton Hillary Diane Rodham ClintonHillicon Valley: FBI chief says Russia is trying to interfere in election to undermine Biden | Treasury Dept. sanctions Iranian government-backed hackers The Hill's Campaign Report: Arizona shifts towards Biden | Biden prepares for drive-in town hall | New Biden ad targets Latino voters FBI chief says Russia is trying to interfere in election to undermine Biden MORE and Sen. Bernie Sanders Bernie SandersMcConnell accuses Democrats of sowing division by 'downplaying progress' on election security The Hill's Campaign Report: Arizona shifts towards Biden | Biden prepares for drive-in town hall | New Biden ad targets Latino voters Why Democrats must confront extreme left wing incitement to violence MORE (I-Vt.).

But in the final stretch, those divisions have come have come to the fore.

Allies of Sanders, who backs Ellison for chair, are eager to see one of their own installed atop the DNC, believing the national party rigged the primary against them.

They’ve increasingly begun casting Perez as the establishment favorite and representative of the old guard.

Ok. Great. Again...it's not opinion, it is fact, that Perez (who is a fine liberal policy guy) was asked to run by the establishment. #DNC https://t.co/H9qUbuD4Qf — Adam Green (@AdamGreen) February 23, 2017

Perez allies are furious at that characterization, saying that Perez has an unmatched progressive resume. He was a civil rights attorney in Holder’s Justice Department and before becoming Obama’s Labor secretary.