Morning all. Reporting in this morning from Austin, Texas where the last ASDC/DNC meeting of the cycle is taking place. I start today by recommending my new interviews with two of the Democrats who will be guiding the nation when we return to power next January - Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries, and Rep. Greg Meeks, the Ranking Member of the House Foreign Relations Committee.
Last night I gave a brief report to our paid subscribers on where I think we are now, and about a new project I helped launch here in Austin yesterday. You can find a video recording and rough transcript above. I focused on four things last night….
Democrats Come Out Of Primary Season Stronger And Better - I wrote an essay about this yesterday and summed it up with this post on Notes:
In a change election Democrats have evolved and changed, and we are stronger for it. Here is some of what I wrote yesterday:
My hope is that whatever type of Democrat you are you can see yourself in the Democratic leaders who have emerged in the past year, giving you a reason to enthusiastically vote this November. We’ve talked here about the need for the Democratic Party to evolve, grow, improve, and to build our next thing. I think we can say now looking back at the elections over the past 19 months that we are seeing a new Democratic Party emerging, something that feels fresh, different, younger, more dynamic, and just better.
……..fresh, different, younger, more dynamic, and just better…..
The Election Has Broken Towards Us - When the war resumed a few weeks ago and gas prices rose again the bottom fell out for the Rs across the country. Trump’s poll numbers just keep crashing through floors and finding new bottoms. We have polling leads in the AK, GA, NC, IA, ME, OH, and TX Senate races (no new polls in MI or MN yet). In many polls the generic ballot has moved into wave territory for us. The new forecasts of Nate Silver and FiftyPlusOne have both the Senate and House flipping to us.
In a new Fox News poll Troy Jackson leads Susan Collins 48%-46%. While close incumbents trailing this late in the cycle seldomly win - so it’s encouraging. Let’s look at the underlying structure of the race. It suggests there is far more room for growth for Jackson than Collins. Once again congrats to the Maine Dems and all of you who helped us get us this exciting place:
With their failed war, slowing economy, barbaric cuts to health care and food assistance taking hold, heightened inflation/gas prices/interest rates, and their unyielding corruption/lawlessness/fanaticism things are more likely to get worse for the Rs than better in these final 82 days.
Trump And The Rs Are Going To Do Whatever It Takes To Remain In Power - With the venal Blanche at the helm and corrupt oligarchical cash flowing into their campaign conifers we must expect Trump and the Rs to do whatever It takes to stay in power in these final 82 days and through the transfer of power in January. Whatever it takes. Thus, we must be prepared and not once again by surprised by their ambitious fuckery that has already brought us open collaboration with Russia to win one election and an attempt in 2021 to violently overturn another.
In that regard yesterday here in Austin ASDC President Jane Kleeb and I announced a new three part program to give the state parties more tools to protect our elections and ensure a peaceful transfer of power in 2027. Hopium members should see this new program as extension of the huge investments we’ve made in building strong state parties over the last three years.
We are tentatively calling it the “New Battlefield Project” - as in winning in a changing and evolving battlefield of oligarchs, AI, foreign adversaries and a venal, desperate Trump - and it has three parts:
Enhanced Election Protection - we will ensure that for the first time ever every state and territory has a full time, qualified Election Protection Director; we will also be launching a nationwide training program to help train volunteers to support their state parties in protecting the elections this fall.
A National Early Vote Campaign - Pushing our family to vote early makes it more likely we win and harder for them to cheat. This is something we’ve been promoting here for some time, and it is a vital, vital effort to help us win.
A War Room - we will ensuring that the states and territories are tied to one another and to all the national party committees in real time. So if something illicit happens anywhere it can be understood immediately everywhere. We will be also be bringing on national security professionals to help advise the states if things arise that require their expertise.
Jane and I have raised $500,000 to get this important project off the ground. Staff are being hired. She and I briefed the states and territories yesterday and the response was very positive. So things are moving forward. I will be sharing details about this new program in the coming days but there will be opportunities for all Hopium community members to participate in the election protection trainings and state party led election protection efforts, and in promoting the importance of early voting to your networks and communities.
This is exciting stuff, and it is only happening because of the grit and generous of the proud, plucky patriots of this remarkable community.
We Need To Keep Talking And Learning About DSA - I stand by my statement yesterday that is good that Francesca Hong lost on Tuesday. In our embracing of a raucous pluralism I have serious concerns about whether our dynamic big tent should include DSA candidates. I think it is a far more radical politics than is understood - communist, Marxist-Leninist, illiberal, pro-Russia/Maduro/Hamas-Iran - and it is my hope that we can keep pushing people and leaders who admire the good parts of its agenda to separate out from the unacceptable baggage the national DSA brings. Be a bold progressive, loud and proud, but leave the baggage of the DSA at the door, please. You can learn more about the DSA from this new page I’ve built for Hopium community members.
Note in that poll from Maine above “DSA” is more unpopular than MAGA in a +7 Harris state.
That’s what we talked about last night. Enjoy my talk. Share it with others. Hit like so more will see it, and yes, my friends, it is that time again….
Time To Go To Work Everyone!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Our Winning The House Campaign - Donate | $1,078,100 raised, $1,250,000 goal (new stretch goal) | Donate to all twelve of our initial wave of 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 - Donate | $291,100 raised, $500,000 goal - We’ve launched a second House fund, one supporting candidates who’ve emerged from late, recent primaries and need a bit more help.
Our newly expanded list now features Rebecca Bennett (NJ-07), Bob Brooks (PA-07), Cait Conley (NY-17), Johnny Garcia (TX-35), Bob Harvie (PA-01), Dr. Richard Pan (CA-06), Denise Powell (NE-02), Bobby Pulido (TX-15), Manny Rutinel (CO-8), Dr. Amish Shah (AZ-01), Randy Villegas (CA-22), and Marni von Wilpert (CA-48).
A donation to the Second Wave Fund is split evenly among these twelve, 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 those who’ve interviewed so far here.
Winning The House - The Third Wave Fund - Donate | $8,700 raised, $500,000 goal | We’ve launched this new fund for candidates who have emerged even later from primaries and need a bit more help as we work to expand our map and go deeper into tough terrain. Our initial list - and it may grow - is Christina Hines (MI-10), Lindsay James (IA-02), Jake Johnson (MN-01), Jessica Killin (CO-5), Nancy Lacore (SC-01), and Brian Poindexter (OH-7).
Winning The Senate - $688,100 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), Troy Jackson (ME), Mary Peltola (AK), James Talarico (TX), and Josh Turek (IA).
Our working total includes what we’ve raised for these six 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 directly here.
Expanding The Map - Investing And Winning In Key Battleground And Expansion States
Winning Georgia - $30,500 raised, $250,000 goal - Donate | This new fund splits a contribution three ways among Senator Jon Ossoff, gubernatorial candidate Keisha Lance Bottoms, and the Georgia Democratic Party
Winning Iowa - $32,500 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
Winning Maine - $80,500 raised, $250,000 goal - Donate | Our Winning Maine fund splits a contribution evenly among Troy Jackson for Senate, Hannah Pingree for Governor, and the Maine Democratic Party and its Chair Charlie Dingman
Winning Ohio - $189,100 raised, $250,000 goal - Donate | Our 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 - $648,600 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!
A Few More Things To Do
Let’s work to make sure everyone you know is Voting Early this year. Learn more about how our political battlefield is changing and how we can best protect our elections this November and ensure a peaceful transfer of power in January. Bring our Resolutions Project to your community. Fight for Hopium’s Agenda and let’s also embrace Leader Jeffries’ new agenda, “Fighting For An Affordable America.” Become a paid subscriber to Hopium to help us grow this community of proud, plucky patriots.
In the spirit if informing and not inflaming I’ve set up a new page to help us learn more about the Democratic Socialists Of America (DSA). Additionally, my friend Halie Soifer, the very capable CEO of the Jewish Democratic Council of America, has written a very thoughtful piece with recommendations for how Abdul El-Sayed can address the very real concerns about his candidacy in the Jewish community.
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 to win, together! - Simon
