Friends, a busy day……
Earlier this morning I sent you some initial thoughts on last night’s election, why the polls were so wrong in Michigan, and the current political landscape with this big bottom line on where we are now - in recent weeks national and state polling has moved towards us and away from them and we now have a legitimate chance to win the House and Senate. That is the most important story in American politics right now.
I am now sending along a comprehensive discussion I just had with April Ryan of the Contrarians (above) that goes deep into last night’s elections, the rotting and decay of Republicans in Washington, the need to keep calling Senators to block Todd Blanche, and my optimism about the November elections. It’s a lively and informative talk. Get to it when you can.
Next, since both my post and this interview was recorded the Michigan Senate race has been called for Abdul El-Sayed.
Haley Stevens has already endorsed him, as has have Leader Schumer and DSCC Chair Kirstin Gillibrand:
DSCC Statement On Abdul El-Sayed’s Victory In Michigan Senate Primary
Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer and Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee Chair Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand released the following statement on Abdul El-Sayed’s primary victory in the Michigan Senate race:
“Abdul El-Sayed has run an energetic campaign that inspired thousands of Michiganders across the state, with a clear focus on lowering costs and standing up for working families.
“Democrats are united by a common purpose: putting a check on Donald Trump by defeating his Republican enablers and taking back the Senate. We look forward to working with Abdul and Democrats across Michigan to win this seat in November.
“Mike Rogers is a rubber stamp for Donald Trump, backing the same reckless agenda that has driven up costs for working families, imposed chaotic tariffs that have hurt Michigan’s auto industry, and put special interests ahead of the people of Michigan. Michigan voters already rejected Rogers after he walked through Washington’s revolving door to enrich himself. They’ll reject him again in November and send Abdul El-Sayed to the United States Senate.”
Last night the DCCC expanded their target list from 46 GOP held seats to 58. The results of the election last night in Michigan and these new, expanded DCCC targets give me a lot to think about in how we expand beyond our current list of 24 House candidates and 7 Senate candidates. I have not wanted to grow our targets much beyond where we are now for we are a small community and I want to make reasonable asks from all of you. So give me a few days to digest everything that has just happened and come back with expanded recommendations reflecting the growing battlefield and new primary results.
Meanwhile we still have our core thirty one races to win, and if we win them all both the Senate and House will flip. It’s that simple. And we are still a little short in our effort to Troy Jackson launched - can you chip in there today?
We took a big swing in Maine these last few weeks and still have a bit more to do there…..
Let’s end this post with our new closing 2026 strong mantra:
There is nothing Trump and MAGA wants more than for us to be fighting with each other and not with him. We have one job now - elect as many of these wonderful candidates running for the House and Senate as we can. It’s where our focus must be. It’s a year of opportunity for us across the country. We must seize it, together.
Enjoy my talk with April, and yes, it is that time everyone, time….
To Get To Work, People!!!!!!!!!!!!
Winning The House and Senate In 2026
Special Fund To Rush Troy Jackson $100,000 By August 10th - Donate Today! | $78,100 raised, $50,000 original goal, $100,000 new stretch goal | Friends we hit our original $50,000 goal in the first 24 hours of this new campaign to get Troy Jackson the resources to staff up, build out his campaign, and beat Susan Collins. Amazing - thank you all!
We aren’t stopping here - this early money really matters, and I want to now try to get to $100,000 by Friday, August 7th. We can do this people, and be sure watch our new interview with Troy.
Our Winning The House Campaign - $1,053,300 raised, $1,250,000 goal (new stretch goal) - Donate | Donate to all twelve of our initial wave of House challengers with a single contribution split twelve ways | Get to know Jamie Ager (NC-11), Christina Bohannan (IA-01), Paige Cognetti (PA-08), Rebecca Cooke (WI-03), Elaine Luria (VA-02), Sean McCann (MI-04), Jo Mendoza (AZ-06), Chaz Molder (TN-05), Jonathan Nez (AZ-02), Janelle Stelson (PA-10), Shannon Taylor (VA-01), and Sarah Trone Garriott (IA-03) by watching our recently recorded Hopium interviews.
Friends, if these twelve courageous candidates win, the House will flip, even with Callais and their rancid mid-decade redistricting. So eyes on the prize here everyone!
Winning The House - The Second Wave Fund (Newly Expanded) - $251,100 raised, $500,000 goal - Donate | We’ve launched a second House fund, one supporting candidates who’ve emerged from recent primaries and need a bit more help. Our newly expanded list now features Rebecca Bennett (NJ-07), Bob Brooks (PA-07), Cait Conley (NY-17), Johnny Garcia (TX-35), Bob Harvie (PA-01), Dr. Richard Pan (CA-06), Denise Powell (NE-02), Bobby Pulido (TX-15), Manny Rutinel (CO-8), Dr. Amish Shah (AZ-01), Randy Villegas (CA-22), and Marni von Wilpert (CA-48).
A donation to the Second Wave Fund is split evenly among these twelve, and more as other worthy candidates emerge from their primaries. Our total above includes money we’ve raised for directly for each candidate. You can watch interviews with those who’ve interviewed so far here. We are off to a great start here everyone!
Winning The Senate - $631,100 raised, $1,000,000 goal - Donate | This new fund splits a single donation to our six candidates must likely to flip a Senate seat this November - Sherrod Brown (OH), Roy Cooper (NC), Troy Jackson (ME), Mary Peltola (AK), James Talarico (TX), and Josh Turek (IA). Our working total includes what we’ve raised for these six so far through direct donations to their campaigns. You can watch our interviews with each of these great candidates and/or contribute directly to any of them directly here.
Expanding The Map - Investing And Winning In Key Battleground And Expansion States
Winning Georgia - $29,100 raised, $300,000 goal - Donate | This new fund splits a contribution three ways among Senator Jon Ossoff, gubernatorial candidate Keisha Lance Bottoms, and the Georgia Democratic Party
Winning Iowa - $31,400 raised, $300,000 goal - Donate | Our Winning Iowa fund splits a contribution three ways - to Josh Turek for Senate, to our gubernatorial candidate Rob Sand, and to the Iowa Democratic Party
Winning Maine - $79,600 raised, $75,000 goal - Donate | We set up this fund to help the Maine Dems get through our nominating process. With this community’s strong response we put up almost a third of the resources needed for what became a very successful process to pick a nominee. We had a big return on this investment - thank you all!
Winning Ohio - $185,100 raised, $300,000 goal - Donate | Our campaign splits contributions evenly among Sherrod Brown, the Acton-Pepper ticket, and the Ohio Democratic Party and its terrific Chair, Kathleen Clyde
Hopium’s Audacious Expansion Fund - $643,100 raised, $1,000,000 goal - Donate | Join our campaign that has helped expand our map by investing in the Democratic Parties of Alaska, Florida, Iowa, Maine, and Texas, all now central battlegrounds in the 2026 election | Contribute to all five state parties with one contribution split evenly among these five critical battlegrounds | Catch interviews with the five intrepid state chairs leading their troops into battle this year - will get you fired up!
A Few More Things To Do
Let’s work to make sure everyone you know is Voting Early this year. Learn more about how we can best protect our elections this November and ensure a peaceful transfer of power in January. Bring our Resolutions Project to your community. Fight for Hopium’s Agenda and let’s also embrace Leader Jeffries’ new agenda, “Fighting For An Affordable America.” Become a paid subscriber to Hopium to help us grow this community of proud, plucky patriots.
Many are asking about the news coming from the DNC these days. Strongly recommend that folks read Chair Ken Martin’s new memo, The DNC Is Building a Democratic Party That Can Win the Moment and Win the Future. While the DNC has done important things under his tenure, including the adoption of a new Presidential primary calendar, I think Chair Martin would be wise now to shake up his team and make big changes there. For things simply must get better at the DNC.
I’ve set up a new page to help us learn more about the Democratic Socialists Of America (DSA). Check it out and let me know what you think, offer other articles or resources you think I should include.
Please use the paid subscriber chat to self-report the good trouble you make each day.
Keep working hard everyone. We have a country to save, and elections to win, together! - Simon
