Happy Sunday all. Have a few things for you today……
Brutal New CBS News Poll For Trump - The big ugly man gets a big ugly poll from a friendly news org:
On this last bit of data here’s what I wrote a few days ago:
In my Monday essay, We Must Keep The Military Off Our Streets, I wrote:
“While we rally behind Leaders Schumer and Jeffries in their budget fight this week national Democratic leaders must also begin to speak in a single unified and far more aggressive voice in challenging this escalating use of the military and armed, masked agents on American streets. For if we are silent, if we do not challenge this aggression forcefully, we give Trump permission to keep escalating.”
In this recent analysis I show that “threats to democracy” have, in recent weeks, risen to an issue of great concern to voters, far outpacing their concern about their health care for example. Democrats simply must, as we go deeper into this debate with Trump, make their escalating authoritarianism part of our narrative and agenda. Rising costs and health care are a good start. But after everything that has happened in recent days - the Comey indictment, the speech to the Generals, the regime’s expansion into more and more cities, their assault on Congress’s Article 1 powers, their shutting down of our government - we simply must be contesting their escalating assault on the Constitutional order and all of us far more aggressively, and make it part of our rallying cry, particularly as we build towards the next No Kings Day on October 18th.
A reminder of the “most important issue” question from the 2024 Exit Polls:
Three legs to our narrative stool now - tariffs/prices, health care and threats to democracy. If we do this our big argument gets stronger, more powerful, more sustainable over time and it is what the moment - as we watch their escalation across the country this week - requires.
And remember:
Trump is weak, not strong. Losing, not winning. A failure, not a success. A villain, not a hero. A big blubbery babyman, anything, anything but a strong man.
Mikie Sherrill Has A Sturdy Lead In New Jersey - Here is a sample of recent non-right wing polling in New Jersey (Sherrill-Ciatterelli)
50%-42% (+8) Zogby
50%-42% (+8) Fox News
50%-43% (+7) Sherrill campaign
48%-41% (+7) Yes Every Kid (a conservative group)
49%-41% (+8) Qunnipiac
In the non-right wing affiliated polling Sherrill has a sturdy and consistent lead of 7 to 8 points. Data is very consistent in these polls. No sign of downward movement, “tightening.” May happen but it hasn’t happened yet. Heads down, keep working hard all.
Enjoy My Wonderful Discussion With James Talarico, Candidate For The US Senate in Texas - This young man has been getting a lot of buzz and when you watch our interview you will see why. He’s an incredibly powerful communicator - bright, passionate, committed, articulate - and a fellow hope-monger.
Learn more about James and his campaign here and get to this interview when you can. It will brighten your day - I promise.
If you are looking for additional discussions to inform your Sunday have a great line up for you:
My new must-watch interview with Gavin Newsom, one of our most important and inspirational leaders right now. So pleased Gavin was able to spend so much time with us this week
A new, fiery interview with Rep. Adam Smith, Ranking Member Of The House Armed Services Committee
A compelling and powerful discussion with AFT President Randi Weingarten, another one of our most important pro-democracy leaders right now
An uplifting conversation about the wins and success of Democratic state AGs with Andrea Campbell of Massachusetts
A first day of shutdown check in with Reps. Greg Landsman and Marc Veasey
The many interviews with our top candidates and party leaders, below
My new talk and comprehensive written analysis - Dems Are Forcing Trump To Take Responsibility For The Harm He’s Doing To The Country
Remember you can find all of our interviews and podcasts on the Hopium site under Podcast and on YouTube, Apple Podcasts and Spotify too!
Let’s Get To Work Everyone!!!!!!!!!!!!
I want to thank everyone who has given in recent days. We saw a big uptick in giving before the critical q3 filing deadline. Note that we’ve hit $200,000 raised now for our 7 House incumbents and Abigail Spanberger, and $100,000 for Mikie Sherrill. Thank you all!
Winning The Fall - Support Our November, 2025 Candidates and Yes On 50
Mikie Sherrill NJ Gov (2025) - $250,000 goal, $101k raised - Donate | Learn More | Volunteer | Watch my new interview with Rep. Sherrill | Read my new post about Sherrill’s sturdy polling lead | Sherrill leads by 8 in new Fox poll
Abigail Spanberger VA Gov (2025) - $250,000 goal, $205k raised - Donate | Learn More | Volunteer | Watch my interview with Abigail Spanberger
Yes on 50 (CA) - $50,000 goal - Donate | Learn more, volunteer | Sign Up For CA Dem Party Daily Phonebanks | Watch my new interview with Gov. Gavin Newsom
Hopium members in CA/NJ/PA/VA - please vote on Day 1, or as early as you can, either by mail or in-person. When you vote early your names comes off the campaign GOTV rolls allowing them to move on to lower propensity voters, which increases D turnout and makes it more likely we win. Voting early = another way to help us win.
Please vote early and encourage everyone you know to join you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Winning The Midterms - Support Our 2026 Candidates
Roy Cooper for NC Senate (2026) - $250,000 goal, $42,000 raised- Donate | Learn More | Volunteer | Watch my interview with Gov. Cooper
Jon Ossoff GA Senate (2026) - $250,000 goal, $79k raised - Donate | Learn More | Volunteer | Watch my inspiring new interview with Senator Ossoff
Hopium House 7 (2026) - $250,000 goal, $213k raised - Donate | Learn More, Volunteer | Watch My Interviews With Our Intrepid Incumbents
Expanding The Map - Support Our Audacious Expansion Fund (2026-2032)
Hopium’s Audacious Expansion Fund - $250,000 goal, $46,000 raised - Join our new campaign to invest in the Democratic Parties of Alaska, Florida, Iowa, Maine, and Texas | Donate To All Five State Parties | Watch my interviews with Alaska Chair Eric Croft, Florida Chair Nikki Fried, Iowa Chair Rita Hart and Texas Chair Kendall Scudder
Our updated fundraising goals are now for the end of the year, December 31st, except for the 2025 races, which are now for Election Day, 2025.
Defending America, Winning The Big Argument With Trump - We have two recommended actions today:
1 - Call Your Senators and Member Of The House And Demand They Act Upon Our Four-Part Agenda - We need to be loud people, very, very loud and make the case for our our emerging four part agenda. Demand that your Senators and House Member work to keep the government open and
Roll back Trump’s terrible, illegal tariffs that are re-igniting inflation, driving up prices, shifting the tax burden from the wealthy to working people, hurting small businesses and farmers, reviving tyrannical “taxation without representation,” and alienating governments and people throughout the world
Defend our democracy, rule of law and our liberties by blocking the expansion of ICE, restore due process to our immigration system, defend the 1st Amendment, and end the use of the military on our streets and the occupations of our cities
Fight Trump’s war on science, higher education and our public health; reverse - not delay - the cuts to the ACA and Medicaid; support and co-sponsor Rep. Haley Stevens’ effort to Impeach and remove Robert Kennedy
Stand with Ukraine and our European allies, and far more forcefully challenge Trump’s traitorous efforts to sell out the US and the West to Russia and China
2 - Bring “Resolutions Of Condemnation” To Your Community - Inspired by the tactics of our Founders learn about how Hopium members are advancing “Resolutions of Condemnation” in their communities across the country and consider bringing this initiative to your state, country or city/town. Be sure to check out our new discussion with Deborah Potter and Rachel Poliner who have passed resolutions in New Mexico and Boston, and offer advice on how to get a resolution passed in your own community.
Remarkably, members of this community have passed or are advancing 85 (!!!!) resolution projects in 23 states + DC. Can we get to all 50 states by the fall election?
Finally, please self-report your activities to our daily paid subscriber chat. These reports help inspire all of us to do more and fight harder! Been impressive to see how many of you remain involved in local, in person protests of all kinds in your communities. Great to see!
Keep working hard all. We have a country to save and a future to reclaim for our kids and grandkids, together - Simon
