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Taddeo-Goldstein drops out, backs Tant; Clendenin stands pat

Posted Dec 16, 2012 by William March

Updated Dec 16, 2012 at 08:13 PM

Annette Taddeo-Goldstein is dropping out of the race for state Democratic Party chairman and backing Allison Tant of Tallahassee against Alan Clendenin of Tampa, who says he’s not giving up.

Taddeo-Goldstein, newly elected chairman of the Miami-Dade Democratic Party, said in a joint statement with Tant today that she will concentrate on her work as county chair, and she has “total faith and confidence in Allison as chair of the Florida Democratic Party and fully endorse her in this effort.”

That leaves Clendenin alone in the race against Tant.

Tant, a prominent Tallahassee fundraiser who was a key figure in President Barack Obama’s 2008 and 2012 Florida campaigns, has backing from national party figures including Sen. Bill Nelson and U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, who is also national Democratic Party chairman. Clendenin is a veteran grass roots-level party activist who’s one of Florida’s delegates to the national Democratic Party executive committee.

Clendenin’s response: “Democrats now have a clear choice concerning the direction and future of our party. We will choose between a party that looks more like the President’s OFA grassroots organization or status quo, a top down organization controlled by Tallahassee insiders. I look forward to an open, honest and robust debate. “