Happy Saturday all. We are 3 days until the debate, 11 days until an interest rate cut, 13 days until early in-person voting begins in MN, SD and VA, 19 days until Jack Smith files a brief in Trump’s revived treason trial, 24 days until the VP debate and 59 days until we kick their ass in the 2024 election. Let’s get to it…..
Closing Strong With Tara McGowan - The new weekly episode of my new video series with Tara McGowan and COURIER Newsroom is out and it’s a good one. There are three segments this week- 1) Tara and I talk about the news of the week 2) we then talk to Hopium favorite Ruben Gallego fresh from his big appearance at the Convention 3) finally we hear from brilliant author and activist Liz Plank about the role of gender in the election. I am enjoying Closing Strong and learning a lot. You can catch our discussion with Ruben in the video above and please consider donating to or volunteering for him today.
You can watch the entire second episode of Closing Strong here:
If you want to go deeper into our new, bluer election this weekend watch my discussion with Tom Bonier who reviews new, encouraging voter registration data in the states; this new post on why our financial, volunteer and enthusiasm is the most important story in the election now; this post that looks at current polling and other political trends; and this one that reflects on what a good President Joe Biden has been and how much better off the country is today.
Here’s the most important new data we got this week:
As Tom Bonier mentions in our discussion VP Harris’s current national polling lead is the same as Trump’s when many were calling for President Biden to drop out. We have a lot of work to do my friends, but in every way imaginable right now I would much rather be us than them.
The Cheneys Endorse Harris-Walz, Our Coalition Keeps Expanding - Going all the way back to March of 2023 and my Get to 55 memo, we’ve been talking about the important opportunity Democrats have to grow our coalition this cycle by bringing in Republicans and former Republicans not willing to follow the new MAGA direction of their party. I worked with the then Biden campaign to help set up their Republicans for Biden program, and we just saw Republicans leaders featured prominently at our Convention. In the past few days both former VP Cheney and former Congresswoman Liz Cheney announced their support of VP Harris. Liz Cheney made her announcement in North Carolina, a critical swing state. Here’s the statement the former VP put out yesterday:
In our nation’s 248-year history, there has never been an individual who is a greater threat to our republic than Donald Trump. He tried to steal the last election using lies and violence to keep himself in power after the voters had rejected him. He can never be trusted with power again.
As citizens, we each have a duty to put country above partisanship to defend our Constitution. That is why I will be casting my vote for Vice President Kamala Harris.
Yesterday, while in Texas, Liz Cheney even endorsed Colin Allred over Ted Cruz, and in this video reflects on her choice. Do watch and enjoy her calling Trump and Vance “misogynistic pigs:”
The work courageous Republicans and former Republicans did in 2022 to help us win really mattered, and it is going to really matter this year too. The opposition Trump faces from within his own Party is unprecedented in the modern era of politics. His willingness to jettison necessary parts of his own coalition when he lost the last election is strategically idiotic, and makes it more likely we have the election we all want to have this year.
Yes there once was a GOP led by Reagan, Bush, McCain and Cheney. Here are the freaks, fraudsters and extremists who lead the GOP today:
Harris-Walz Launches New Reproductive Freedom Ad Series - From a new campaign press release out this morning:
The Harris-Walz campaign is launching a new ad campaign ahead of Tuesday’s debate on both how Donald Trump brags about his role in overturning Roe v. Wade and the consequences of his extreme anti-freedom agenda. The three ads emphasize to voters what is at stake in this election for reproductive freedom. The ads feature Trump’s own words saying he is “proud” to have overturned Roe and his Project 2025 plans to go even further to restrict women’s reproductive rights, as well as two women who have been directly affected by Trump’s abortion bans — Latorya Beasley and Laurel Marcinkus. A Kenosha, Wisconsin resident, Laurel faced dangerous delays in care after experiencing pregnancy complications and severe bleeding due to the state’s cruel 1849 statute. Alabamian Latorya Beasley was trying to grow her family through IVF this spring, only to have her procedure canceled just eight days prior, because of the extreme Alabama Supreme Court ruling made possible by Donald Trump
……..
Team Harris-Walz is launching “Told Us,” “Laurel,” and “Big Family” as part of the campaign’s historic early $370 million investment in TV and digital reservations between Labor Day and Election Day. “Told Us” will run on TV in battleground media markets, targeting high-viewership moments like the fall return of popular primetime programming. “Laurel” and “Big Family” will run as digital spots on platforms like Hulu, Roku, YouTube, Paramount, Spotify, and Pandora.
WATCH “TOLD US” HERE
WATCH “BIG FAMILY” HERE
WATCH “LAUREL” HERE
Strong, muscular new media from the Harris-Walz campaign. It’s great to see.
Doing More and Worring Less - In the spirit of not letting up, “doing something” as Michelle Obama said and leaving it all on the playing field as Gov Walz has encouraged, I again make my pitch for the candidates and state parties we’ve been working for this year. Here’s a post on the strategy behind our candidate and state party endorsements, including our Presidential battleground “check” and “checkmate” strategy. Sign up to call or postcard for Mondaire Jones (NY-17) at this week’s Winning The House Thursday. These events have been well-attended and fun - join us if you can!
Harris-Walz!!!!!! - $947,000 raised, $1m goal - Donate | Volunteer | Merch | The Harris-Walz YouTube Channel - Let’s get to $1m people!
Winning The House - $1,009,000 raised, $1m goal - Donate | Volunteer | Learn More | Sign Up For Our Thursday Night Winning The House Calling and Postcarding Series. Watch our recent discussion with Leader Hakeem Jeffries. To go deeper watch one of our interviews with our great candidates - Janelle Bynum (OR-5), George Whitesides (CA-27), Kirsten Engel (AZ-06) Will Rollins (CA-41), Laura Gillen (NY-04), Rudy Salas (CA-22), Josh Riley (NY-19), Tony Vargas (NE-02), Adam Gray (CA-13), Sue Altman (NJ-07) and Mondaire Jones (NY-17).
North Carolina - $438,000 raised, $500,000 goal - Donate | Volunteer | Learn More | Be sure to watch my interview with NC Dem Chair Anderson Clayton
Arizona/Ruben Gallego - $344,000 rised, $400,000 goal - Donate | Volunteer | Learn More | Be sure to watch my interview with Ruben Gallego
Nebraska/Blue Dot - $159,000 raised, $175,000 goal- Donate | Volunteer | Learn More | Be sure to watch my interview with NE Dem Chair Jane Kleeb
Here are ways you can do even more:
Commit to Vote on Day 1 and get everyone you know to join you. Early voting begins in three states on September 20th - just 13 days away!
Watch my With Dems presentation on the greatness and goodness of the Democratic Party and this six minute video on the incredible stakes in this election.
Help grow the Hopium community. Use this link to encourage others sign others up. You can gift a subscription to a friend or student here and get group rates too. If you have changed credit cards or moved you can you update your payment information or check your renewal status follow these instructions from Substack. Let’s keep our community growing the Hopium flowing!
Keep working hard all. It’s how we win - Simon
Closing Strong With Ruben Gallego, New Harris Reproductive Freedom Ads, The Cheneys Come Out For Harris