Since posting this morning one of the unacceptable 4, Matt Gaetz, has withdrawn. Congrats all. 3 more to go - Simon
Good morning all. Got a few things for you today:
Hopium Backs Abigail Spanberger for Governor of Virginia - Friends, I’m excited to make our first endorsement of the 2025-2026 cycle - Abigail Spanberger for Governor of Virginia! You can watch my new interview with Congresswoman Spanberger, above, and learn more, volunteer and donate here.
To learn a bit more about Abigail, here’s her campaign bio:
Abigail Spanberger has always served our communities, our Commonwealth, and our country. Abigail began her career of public service as a federal law enforcement officer — working money laundering cases and tracking narcotics traffickers with the U.S. Postal Inspection Service.
Abigail then joined the CIA as a case officer. She worked undercover her entire time at the Agency — collecting intelligence, managing assets, and overseeing high-profile programs to combat terrorism and keep Americans safe.
In 2014, Abigail brought her family back home to Virginia — where she and her husband grew up — and soon began a career in the private sector. But when she saw division and dysfunction threatening the country she dedicated her life to defend, Abigail decided to run for Congress.
In 2018, Abigail became the first Democrat since 1968 — as well as the first woman ever — to be elected to represent Virginia’s 7th Congressional District in the U.S. House. In Congress, Abigail has developed a reputation for finding common ground, getting things done, and never backing down from her principles. The Washington Post editorial board has called Abigail a “thoughtful, knowledgeable legislator who has taken the trouble to legislate.”
Abigail has led bipartisan efforts that have been signed into law to prevent fentanyl overdoses, protect Virginia’s natural resources, and support our Veterans — and she has fought to lower prescription drug costs, strengthen workforce training programs for Virginia students, clean up Washington, and protect Virginians’ fundamental rights.
Abigail grew up in Henrico County, Virginia. She attended J.R. Tucker High School’s Spanish immersion program and is a proud graduate of the University of Virginia. After college, Abigail moved to Germany and earned her MBA from a dual-degree German-American program between the GISMA business school and Purdue University. Abigail and her husband Adam are the proud parents of three school-aged daughters.
Rep. Spanberger is one of the best of our party’s rising generation. Smart, experienced, connected, tough - a fighter. She was part of the remarkable 2018 House class, full of patriots who had served their country, who stepped up to challenge Trump and MAGA in that very first election after his surprise 2016 win. I think our community will delight in getting to know her and in helping her become the next Governor of Virginia in November of 2025.
I know for many diving right back into an election right now may be tough. That’s OK. We have time, but we have a lot of Virginians in the Hopium community, and I know they are ready to get to work!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Fighting Trump’s Outrageous 4 - Still asking folks to call their Senators and Representative to let them know your dissatisfaction with Trump’s pick of Tulsi Gabbard, Pete Hegseth, Matt Gaetz and Robert Kennedy, and to inform them of your expectation that they will leave it all out there on the playing field to block these profoundly dangerous nominations. We should be demanding that our party leaders do everything they can to block them, and build a national campaign to encourage other Americans to join us. We may not win, but we can grow our networks and power, perhaps weaken Trump for what I think were serious mistakes, and not let such outrageous actions go unchallenged. While weary, heartbroken and desperately in need of rest, we still have to fight everyone. Do what you can. I’m going to keep fighting.
Yesterday I posted about how 2 of the terrible 4, Gaetz and Hegseth, were running into serious headwinds. It’s encouraging. Today I send along a great MSNBC article by former FBI senior executive Frank Figliuzzi which advocates for President Biden to order the background check process on Trump’s nominees to begin immediately.
Here is a passage from Frank’s excellent MSNBC essay:
First, Biden should rely upon the existing MOU between the Department of Justice and his office, as well as the Presidential Transition Act, to investigate the people Trump says he wants to put in office. The MOU sets out procedures for requesting background investigations of nominees “at the request of the president.” It doesn’t say the president-elect, it says “president.” That’s you, Joe. As for the transition act, it reads as applying to people “…the President-elect has identified” for high-level positions. Well, the president-elect has already publicly identified those people. And Biden should respond.
What happens if a nominee refuses to cooperate, won’t provide his consent to be investigated or won’t fill out any forms? The MOU has a remedy for that: “The DOJ and FBI may consider a request from the President for a name check or BI without the consent of the appointee if justified by extraordinary circumstances.” I’d say with some of these nominees named by Trump, and the fact that Trump may forego FBI vetting of them, we have extraordinary circumstances.
If you think President Biden should request these background checks, join me in spreading the good word here through your networks and contact the White House today.
Update On The House - Christina Bohannan’s race in Iowa was called last night for her opponent. Derek Tran now leads in his CA-45 count, and Adam Gray has almost caught up in CA-13! Let’s keep working the ballot curing process folks. We have two more House seats to win!
Here’s where our 15 endorsed House candidates stand today:
Flips (4) - Whitesides (CA-27), Gillen NY-4, Riley NY-19, Bynum OR-5
Too Close To Call/Still Counting (2) - Gray CA-13, Tran CA-45
Losses (9) - Shah AZ-01, Engel AZ-06, Salas CA-22, Rollins CA-41, Bohannan IA-1, Vargas NE-02, Jones NY-17, Altman NJ-07, Stelson PA-10
While the House officially went to the Rs last Wednesday, I remain very proud of the good we’ve done, together, this cycle. We made deeply strategic investments and got important wins in a tough year in AZ, NC, NE, WI and critical House races across the country. Of the 6 House seats Dems flipped this cycle, our community aggressively backed 5 of them - George Whitesides CA-27, Tom Suozzi NY-3, Laura Gillen NY-4, Josh Riley NY-19 and Janelle Bynum OR-5.
There are still ballot curing opportunities for Gray and Tran with Grassroots Democrats HQ. Note that Tran is now ahead, and Gray is now down by less than 300 votes. We need to keep working it people!
Virtual Ballot Curing In California
CA-13 Adam Gray Ballot Curing Phone Bank
CA-45 Derek Tran Ballot Curing Phone Bank
CA-45 Derek Tran Recruitment Phone Bank
In-Person Ballot Curing In California
What Happened, What Comes Next - Our approach here has been to go slow, listen and learn, and be full of more questions than answers. Here are some initial things I’ve put out:
Notes on 2024 And What Comes Next (11/20/24) - In a new detailed post and comprehensive video released yesterday I offer my latest thinking about what happened in 2024 - the bad and the encouraging. Enjoy everyone.
In this post and video I offer my heartfelt thanks to the members of this community who left it all out there on the playing field this cycle.
To help us learn from others throughout the family, I’ve launched a new What Happened, What Comes Next discussion series. Here are the first three of those talks, along with 2 relevant segments from my fall Closing Strong series with Tara McGowan and COURIER Newsroom:
Anderson Clayton - On Our Impressive Downballot Wins in North Carolina
John Della Volpe - On Trump’s Gains With Young People
Joe Trippi - On The Power Of Networks And The Need To Build Our Own
From Closing Strong:
On The Need For Pro-Democracy Media - With Tara McGowan and Dan Pfeiffer. I’ve offered a series of related post-election posts on the need for us to get louder (here, here, and here)
Beyond MAGA Creators - Russia’s Influence On The Republican Party Runs Deep With Stewart Stevens and Jiore Craig.
I’ve also set up a thread for paid subscribers to offer their thoughts on what this wonderful and plucky community of proud patriots and info warriors should do next. I’m grateful for the many comments we’ve received so far. Weigh in if you can in the coming days.
Keep working hard all. So proud to be in this fight with all of you - Simon
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