Morning all. I did a comprehensive overview of the elections last night and the midterms more broadly in a live talk with Katie Phang over at The Contrarian this morning. A video recording and rough transcript are above. Here is some of what we discuss:
Mamdani Has A Big Night - The Mayor’s three candidates won their House primaries in NYC last night, unseating two incumbents, including the Chair of the Hispanic Caucus. His coalition also won some down ballot state legislative primaries. He comes out of the night stronger than ever in NYC and as a rising power in American politics. It is also now as clear as day that Mamdani and his allies are helping the greater DSA to significantly raise their collective electoral game this cycle, something with significant implications for our family in the months and years ahead.
House Dems Notched Important Wins In NY-17 and UT-1 - While Mamdani had his big wins more traditional Dems prevailed in contested primaries in MD-5, NY-12, NY-17 and UT-1 last night. The wins in NY-17 and UT-1 were significant ones for our quest to flip the House this November. With the help of our community Cait Conley won her NY-17 primary, showing enormous electoral strength given the millions Republicans spent against her. Simply her strong performance despite these Republican attacks makes it far more likely we can flip this seat, one of the most Democratic seats held by a Republican in the country, this November. Thanks to everyone who contributed to this important win!
In UT-1 former House Member Ben McAdams prevailed in his primary last night, and is now highly favored to turn this newly drawn district blue. So outside of NYC we took critical steps last night to flip two currently GOP House seats blue - so this was a very important night for us.
I will be going deeper into what happened last night and where we are in the 2026 elections in my talk tonight (register here) and in future posts but two final observations this morning:
We keep moving further into the next Democratic Party, one that will be different - and hopefully better - than what came before. We should not be so arrogant to know what is best for us and should welcome experimentation and innovation in our family, even if feels new and uncomfortable. We should welcome debates inside our family, not run from them.
Job One remains winning as many of the competitive Senate and House races across the country, and flipping both chambers this November. These races are being fought out almost entirely in states and districts Trump won in 2024, in some cases by 13-15 points, and are a far cry from the +30 Dem districts the Mamdani coalition won last night in NYC. We need to embrace the rainbow here as I call it, and do everything we can to run candidates who fit their states and district - and who can win. So what works in Iowa and Wisconsin may not be what works in Brooklyn but as Katie and I discuss the universal thing we are finding in all these disparate races is that voters are looking for leaders willing to fight for them and strong enough to deliver.
Trump’s Losses Keep Piling Up, His Powers Continue To Ebb, The Senate Lunch At 1pm Is Going To Be Fire!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! - Katie and I spend the bulk of our discussion talking about Trump’s failed war, his disastrous surrender, his gigantic loss in the War Powers vote yesterday, and his ebbing physical and political powers. These are topics I covered extensively in my posts yesterday (here, here), but to check in on where we are hours before Trump attends the weekly Senate Republican lunch the big blubbery baby man - desperate and terrified - just posted this (just OMG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!):
That’s my initial report on last night. Enjoy my talk with Katie (always a treat), and expect more in the coming days……
Now, My Friends, It’s Time Get To Work!!!!!
Some Things To Call Congress About This Week
Yes to making American oligarchs pay for Trump’s failed Iran war - not every day Americans
Yes to the Ukraine Support Act, get it passed through the Senate and to the President’s desk
No to the ballroom, the Arch, the gilded statues, the slush fund, the corruption, self-enrichment……
hell no to Todd Blanche as Attorney General, and yes to very tough questioning of the new DNI nominee, Jay Clayton
Hell hell no to the new OMB regs that will destroy government-funded science in America. Join the new Stand Up For Science campaign to Stop Vought. Save Science today.
Help Make Hopium Stronger, Bigger, Better
A big thank you to everyone who has become a paid subscriber in recent days. We’ve signed up 168 new people, strong progress towards our goal of 500 by July 4th. Take 10% off a paid annual Hopium subscription today and help make our Independence Day membership sale and drive a success. Follow the link for group and gift subscriptions too!
Winning The Midterms, Competing In Red States and Red Places, Expanding The Map
(Please be patient as we overhaul and update this section)
Supporting Battleground Candidates For The House and Senate
Hopium’s Winning The House Campaign - $791,100 raised, $1,000,000 goal (new ambitious, audacious even, q2 goal) - Donate to all twelve of our endorsed 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 win, the House will flip, no matter redistricting madness the Rs execute in the coming days. So eyes on the prize here everyone!
Winning The House - The Second Wave Fund - $110,100 raised, $250,000 goal - We’ve launched a second House fund, one targeting candidates who’ve recently emerged from primaries or have to run in new districts. Our initial crew is Rebecca Bennett (NJ-07), Bob Brooks (PA-07), Cait Conley (NY-17), Johnny Garcia (TX-35), Bob Harvie (PA-01), Denise Powell (NE-02), and Bobby Pulido (TX-15).
A donation to the Second Wave Fund is split evenly among these seven, and more as other worthy candidates emerge for their primaries. Our total above includes money we’ve raised for directly for each candidate.
Josh Turek For Iowa Senate - $21,200 raised, $250,000 goal - Donate | Learn more and volunteer | Watch my wonderful new interview with Josh Turek
Mary Peltola For Alaska Senate - $106,100 raised, $250,000 goal - Donate | Learn more through my uplifting conversation with Mary Peltola as she fights to turn Alaska blue
James Talarico For Texas - $89,100 raised, $250,000 - Donate | Learn more from my inspiring interview with Rep. Talarico as he fights to turn Texas blue
Graham Platner For Maine Senate - $3,300 raised, $250,000 goal - Donate | Learn more and volunteer |
Jon Ossoff GA Senate - $190,100 raised, $250,000 goal - Donate | Learn more through my uplifting conversation with Senator Ossoff
Roy Cooper for NC Senate - $124,100 raised, $250,000 goal - Donate | Learn more through my new discussion with Gov. Cooper
Expanding The Map - Investing And Winning In Key Expansion States
Winning Iowa - $7,800 raised, $100,000 goal - We’ve also set up a new Winning Iowa campaign that splits a contribution three ways - to Turek, to Gubernatorial candidate Rob Sand, and to the Iowa Democratic Party and its great chair, Rita Hart | Watch my new interview with our great gubernatorial candidate Rob Sand
Winning Ohio - $163,100 raised, $250,000 goal - Our new campaign splits contributions evenly among Sherrod Brown, the Acton/Pepper ticket, and the Ohio Democratic Party | Donate today and help us turn this critical 2026 battleground blue
Hopium’s Audacious Expansion Fund - $600,100 raised, $1,000,000 goal (new stretch goal) - 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 | Catch interviews with the five intrepid state chairs leading their troops into battle this year - will get you fired up! and use the link to make contributions to any of the state parties directly | Contribute to all five state parties with one contribution split evenly among these five critical battlegrounds.
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 all across this great country to win, together! - Simon
