"Control of the Senate Is Up for Grabs, Times/Siena Polls Find," Trump's Staggering Betrayal Of America, The Hopium Community Rallies For Our Battleground Candidates

Paid subscribers gather tonight at 630pm ET to talk about last night's elections, the new NYT polling, and more. The USMNT plays at 8pm ET tonight - let's root them on, together!

Morning all. Got a few things for you today…..

When this remarkable community is called you always answer! On Monday we set out to raise $50,000 for our intrepid candidates and hard-working party committees in the final two days of the quarter. On that first day we raised $69,000 and blew past our goal. Yesterday, I am excited to report, we raised another $175,000! Thanks to all of you we are getting closer to our ambitious summer fundraising goals. Amazing work everybody!!!!!!!!!!!

I am sitting down with Marc Elias in a few hours to record an interview. I plan on covering the gambit with him - another ugly SCOTUS term (though so wins too), Trump’s illicit attempts to rig the election and stay in power, the unprecedented corruption we are seeing in Washington, and his thoughts on America at 250. Look for that later today, and be sure to find time for my wonderful conversation with Heather Cox Richardson if you haven’t gotten to it yet……

A Conversation With Heather Cox Richardson

Trump’s ongoing, historic betrayal of the American people and our democracy is part of what makes our 250th birthday this week so bittersweet. Here are the homepages of the Washington Post and NYT right now - unprecedented corruption, illiberal vainglory, less for all of us and more for him…….

After releasing polls of Maine and Texas over the past few days, the NYT released a few more this morning:

Here’s the NYT headline of their story:

What these polls tell us is with the exception of North Carolina, all these races are close, within margin of error. In Ohio we trail here but lead in two other recent Republican polls. All the polls released in Iowa since the primary have the race within two points either way. A majority of the polls from Alaska have had Peltola up. That we are competitive in so many states Trump won by double digits remains remarkable. Can we flip the Senate? It is possible? We can’t score unless we shoot my friends, which is why we just need to keep our heads down keep doing the work, and keep doing everything we can to take power away from MAGA throughout the country. That is Job One for all of us in the pro-democracy movement now - winning as many elections against Republicans this November as we can.

A few more items of note…..

• Yesterday, due to another rebellion in the ranks Mike Johnson sent his Members home early - again (WaPo, gift link)

• On hearing the news of a two day GOP midterm Convention in Dallas this September Bill Kristol writes: “To which those of us who think it crucial that Trump and his party suffer a decisive defeat in this November’s mid-term elections could only say one thing: THANK YOU, President DONALD J. TRUMP!”

• Phillips O’Brien writes about “The Most Dangerous Intelligence Move Ever Contemplated”

• During this North American World Cup, shared by the US, Mexico, and Canada, Trump has allowed the trade agreement we have with both countries, one he negotiated, to expire (WaPo)

• On Bluesky Josh Marshall explains why “Track AIPAC” is a dangerous scam

• I will be talking about last night’s elections and more on our paid subscriber get together tonight at 630pm ET (register here, special time for the World Cup this week).

For all of you will experiencing extreme heat these next few days - including us here in Washington, DC - stay safe all!

And yes, my friends, it is that time again…..

For There’s No Rest For The Weary!!!!!!!!!!!!

Winning The Midterms, Competing In Red States and Red Places, Expanding The Map

(Please be patient as we overhaul and update this section. Note that we have now changed our ActBlue default settings so that your contact information is only shared with a campaign if you give your affirmative permission. Many of you have asked for this and it is now our standard operating procedure. )

Winning The House

Hopium’s Winning The House Campaign - $931,100 raised, $1,000,000 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 - $160,100 raised, $250,000 goal - Donate | We’ve launched a second House fund, one targeting candidates who’ve recently emerged from primaries or running 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 from their primaries. Our total above includes money we’ve raised for directly for each candidate. You can watch interviews with all of seven of these intrepid leaders here. We are off to a great start here everyone!

Winning The Senate

Our New Winning The Senate Fund - $465,100 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), Mary Peltola (AK), Graham Platner (ME), James Talarico (TX), and Josh Turek (IA). The $465,000 figure is what we’ve raised for these six so far, as you see will below.

You can also continue to contributions to their individual campaigns here:

Roy Cooper For NC Senate - $128,100 raised, $250,000 goal - Donate | Learn more through my new discussion with Gov. Cooper

Mary Peltola For Alaska Senate - $113,100 raised, $250,000 goal - Donate | Learn more through my uplifting conversation with Mary Peltola as she fights to turn Alaska blue

Graham Platner For Maine Senate - $7,800 raised, $250,000 goal - Donate | Learn more and volunteer

James Talarico For Texas - $100,100 raised, $250,000 - Donate | Learn more from my inspiring interview with Rep. Talarico as he fights to turn Texas blue

Josh Turek For Iowa Senate - $27,100 raised, $250,000 goal - Donate | Learn more and volunteer | Watch my wonderful new interview with Josh Turek

Jon Ossoff For GA Senate - $201,100 raised, $250,000 goal - Donate | Learn more through my uplifting conversation with Senator Ossoff

Expanding The Map - Investing And Winning In Key Expansion States

Winning Iowa - $14,100 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

Winning Ohio - $170,100 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 - $618,100 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.

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.

See the Hopium Agenda Project for what we can and should be fighting for now….

Make Hopium Stronger, Bigger, Better - And Keep It Paywall Free For All

A big thank you to everyone who has become a paid subscriber in recent days. We’ve signed up 218 new people, meaningful 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 below for group and gift subscriptions too!

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