Greetings all. I’m having a summer weekend with family so just something simple today. Sending along an interview I did yesterday with journalist, former MSNBC anchor Alex Wagner, and now a fellow Substacker too. It’s a comprehensive and thorough look at our moment, and well worth your time. I’ve always found Alex to be one of the sharpest commentators out there and she does not disappoint in our lively back and forth.
The bulk of our conversation is about Trump’s unhinged speech on Thursday night, his desperation, and his clear decision now to do whatever it takes to keep us from winning the November election and taking back power in January. I offer a few ideas on what we need to do now:
1 - Win the election by as big a margin as possible to make whatever Trump attempts far harder.
2 - Create a national campaign to encourage people to vote early. I explain why in our conversation and in this recent post.
3 - National Democrats - Schumer, Jeffries, The Governors, The AGs, DNC/State Parties, Marc Elias, other democracy groups - should come together and create a unified front to defend our elections and our democracy. Right now our leaders are working in silos and it just isn’t enough given the gravity of what Trump is attempting. They should speak with one voice to educate and prepare the American people for what is to come, and build an integrated coordinating council or war room to counter it all - for we are stronger together than apart.
As part of that effort Democrats should announce a simple agenda to let voters know what we will do when back in power. We’ve offered some ideas for can be in a national agenda in our evolving Agenda Project. Whatever our leaders come up with it is essential they offer a clearly articulated accountability and renewing democracy agenda as part of this broader agenda. For as Hardy Merriman told us a few months ago the global democracy movement has learned that those parties attempting to enact far reaching accountability and democratic reforms fair far better when they’ve campaigned on the reforms and earned a clear mandate from voters. And we also know from polling that voters want us to be talking about us preserving their rights and freedoms (No Kings) and not just “kitchen table issues” and that there is nothing more intrinsically American than fighting for freedom and democracy.
We also know from polling, lots and lots of polling, that voters believe that our hearts are in right place but question our toughness, and whether we are strong enough to be able to fight and deliver for them. So we should see this fight for our rights and liberties as a real test of our character, resolve, “toughness to govern” and the ability do hard things - one we simply must pass. For truly beating MAGA, truly creating accountability, truly restoring our democracy, and truly giving the American people a better tomorrow will be the hardest thing our leaders - and all of us - have ever done; there is no easy path ahead; and we need to get on with it now.
That’s some of what Alex and I talked about it. Get it when you can, enjoy your summer weekend, watch my new interviews with party leaders in Georgia, Iowa, and Maine (below), and let’s now go do the work to make sure we win this election by as big a margin as possible…….
We Can Do This People!!!!!!!!!!
Winning The House and Senate In 2026
Hopium’s Winning The House Campaign - $978,100 raised, $1,000,000 goal - Donate | 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 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 - $181,100 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 - $501,100 raised, $1,000,000 goal - Donate | This new fund splits a single donation to our five candidates must likely to flip a Senate seat this November - Sherrod Brown (OH), Roy Cooper (NC), Mary Peltola (AK), James Talarico (TX), and Josh Turek (IA). The $489,000 figure includes what we’ve raised for these five 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 here.
Expanding The Map - Investing And Winning In Key Battleground And Expansion States
Winning Georgia (New) - $7,100 raised, $250,000 goal - Donate | This new fund split a contribution three ways among Senator Jon Ossoff, gubernatorial candidate Keisha Lance Bottoms, and the Georgia Democratic Party | Watch my new interview with Georgia Dem Chair Charlie Bailey
Winning Iowa - $24,400 raised, $250,000 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 | Watch my new interview with the great Chair of the Iowa Democratic Party, Rita Hart
Winning Maine - $65,800 raised, $75,000 goal - Donate | Right now this fund is only supporting the Maine Democratic Party to help them get through this challenging process of selecting a new Senate nominee but will expand in coming days to include both our gubernatorial candidate, Hannah Pingree, and our eventual Senate nominee too. Thanks to all of you who have rallied for the Maine Dems in the past few days - it’s a big deal! | Watch our new interview with the inspiring Executive Director of the Maine Dems Devon Murphy-Anderson
Winning Ohio - $179,100 raised, $250,000 goal - Donate | Our new 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 - $633,100 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!
2026 Election Analysis
A Few More Things To Do
Let’s work to make sure everyone you know is Voting Early this year, and learn more about how our political battlefield is evolving this cycle; bring our Resolutions Project to your community; and fight for Hopium’s Agenda today and everyday!
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Keep working hard everyone. And remember - Hopium is hope with a plan. We don’t just hope tomorrow will be better than today. We do the work to make it so…..
