Concerned about gubernatorial races in California and Oregon. States have been holding the line. What can we do to keep blue governors in power in blue states?
…and convince the unelectable candidates to withdraw from the race.
For instance in California’s gubernatorial race, the bottom four Democrats – each of them polling in the low single digits – should drop out. Thurmond, Yee, Mahan and Villaraigosa have absolutely no business continuing their campaigns.
It's a bit frustrating bc, unfortunately, it APPEARS that our concerns are ignored or the Dems in CA are a mess. I am NOT saying they are, it's just that the powers that be APPEAR to not be addressing it.
Yesterday, while on my walk, a couple stopped to talk to me. Strangers. I assume they remembered I wore a Kamala hat. They were really upset about Swalwell - as all of us are about him. They asked now what? Where are the Dems? Why do we just get donation requests? Where is CA leadership on this? I said I know. It's difficult but a lot of those requests don't come from the candidates but I agree most of the candidates need to drop out.
It is one thing to say work to keep the Governorship blue, but it's hard bc there is a real concern that doesn't seem to be addressed. We don't know what is going on behind closed doors. Leadership may have all the best intentions and have a plan, but voters don't see it and I understand the frustration and real fear. I just tell everyone I know that I am voting for whomever is in the lead.
I, for one, am also sick of the donation requests being the only form of communication. We are more than checkbooks and I am tired of funding beach houses for Dem consultants. I am happy to give to state parties, etc but am reticent to give to campaigns as I know it’s just likely just funding more TV advertising and the 15% commission our consultants still receive on the buy (a commission no one else in advertising gets anymore).
Unfortunately, it does appear to many that donation requests are the only form of communication. There is a lot of resentment about this. I tell friends to donate to the Hopium candidates or state parties. I also tell them unsubscribe, unsubscribe, unsubscribe bc those requests just keep on coming.
Simon pointed out yesterday that all of this is likely to work out okay, especially with the orange toddler endorsing one of the GOP candidates. Steyer is even with Bianco now (who's never polled above 14 in the Emerson polls), and someone just has to beat one of the Republicans. But it'd be nice if people started dropping out and endorsing now.
I agree, and thanks for the new poll, which I had not seen.
Trump made a huge strategic mistake by endorsing one of the Republican candidates. By doing so, he made it far less likely that the two Republicans will get the most vote – shutting out what was a potentially catastrophic divided Democratic field.
I think Simon is right. I’m no longer anxious about the risk of California electing another Republican. That said, I still think Dems need to get their act together and cull the field!
No one I know is considering voting for Villaraigosa unless he is in the lead. I don't pay attention to him and I had no idea he is running a negative campaign against Becerra. I hope it backfires on him and he drops out. Interesting that Becerra is rising in the polls bc he was really low before.
Betsy, I hear you. I think here at grassroots level we each need to pick a horse in this race and ride it hard for the next two weeks. I personally like Steyer's position on universal healthcare and on environmental issues. Against him I only hear "distrust of rich people." I think the lower downs are terrified of backing a non-career guy and equally terrified of picking a loser. I think CADem is out of its mind and torn apart by partisanship and cronyism. I am not happy either...
I was heartened by Peter Magyer’s comments on the current state media. He was direct with the moderator about his intended reforms but also corrected their past lies about him and his family.
Wow, He was on fire and he said it calmly, directly and was not intimidated. Unlike Trump, he spoke the truth and didn't come across as a lying buffoon. Loved it.
I think there's a strong lesson for us from Hungary: first, tie the corruption and attacks on democracy directly to the people's economic woes and, second, move quickly to address the corruption.
I understood the Biden administration's approach. Get the country over COVID and back to "normal." Pass good bills to directly benefit people. Keep the focus off of Trump's corruption. And it could have worked. But it didn't. Next time, we have to be able to do two things at once. We have to go after the corruption root and branch. AND we have to do things to directly benefit people.
I called my representatives to say NO money for ICE or war and that the president is not in touch with reality and must be replaced. Just yesterday, he insisted that Tom Tillis is no longer a senator and that no one but Trump has ever ended a single war.
💯. That's how I feel. A young canvasser came to our home. My husband was surprised I answered the door. I said, he is working to get Dems elected and measures passed. I can take 15 minutes to listen and sign what I am comfortable signing. My husband came over and signed a few as well. The young canvasser was beaming. He suggested websites to get more information. He also allowed me to take a picture of the ID he was wearing. So, did I do anything? Not as much as the young canvasser, but I took the time to listen and sign what I believed in (I knew of some of them). We are not happy with our council member so we hope to get another person elected. It's a long shot, but you never know.
After JD Vance’s unprecedented visit to Hungary to campaign for Viktor Orbán, during which JD’s contribution led only to Orbán’s further drop in the polls, JD is ready for his next gig. (On the bright side, JD Vance did not visit Pope Leo.)
I know, I know. I’m not alone in hoping and praying for JD Vance to campaign for vulnerable Republican incumbents throughout the nation. Well, our prayers have been answered!
.
DES MOINES, Iowa — Vice President JD Vance will visit Iowa later this month, with plans to campaign alongside Republican Rep. Zach Nunn. The vice president plans to campaign with Nunn in an effort to score another term for the incumbent and keep Iowa's 3rd Congressional District red.
Our paper reported Vance attended a Turning point event in Augusta, GA and not many people were there. It said the unfulfilled seats were 2 to 1 empty seats to the people attending. The people attending were hostile to him. One man said: "I voted for Trump in the past, but not anymore. He's a demagogue." Another man who served in Iraq, said not all the military if for this war with Iran. J.D. Vance is on a roll taking down the once solid MAGA groups. Keep up the good work, J.D.
"I have lost my energy for people saying Trump is playing five-dimensional chess who have obviously never even played regular chess" --Heather Melton Fox
Trump is not even playing three-dimensional chess – unless you count the pieces that the insane toddler, in his Epic Fury, swept off the table onto the floor!
I wrote a long comment and somehow lost it. Shorter version, which is probably a good idea anyway. Last night's Hopium gathering was a real boost with the vision for a resurgence of democracy here and elsewhere in the world even as we are in the midst of post reality crazy politics. The wrap up with the reading of the Gettysburg address was deeply touching. Called my R rep and urged him to vote for the war powers resolution and end the impulsive damaging war. Also, to roll back the tariffs and speak out about the very obvious mental deterioration of DJT.
Donated to Hopium campaigns.
Many, many thanks to those who phone bank for Virginia tonight!!!
A little trivia since I have the benefit of a Hungarian grandmother. Peter Magyar's name literally means Peter Hungarian - I think it's funny no one has mentioned it. It would be like having a president named Peter American
The proper way to say it in Hungarian sounds like muh - jar
As far as his statement, if Democrats spoke like he did in that clip, we would all love it. What this country needs to recover is some hard core calling out of the lies.
“As far as [Magyar’s] statement, if Democrats spoke like he did in that clip, we would all love it.”
That is what I kept saying to myself as I listened to the clip— such a delight to imagine the Faux News hosts being directly confronted for their non-stop lying! I laughed out loud at the part where the Hungarian news lady sputtered “I would never interrupt you” while she was interrupting Magyar!
Thank you for the pronunciation help: is the accent on the “ muh” or the “jar”?
My mom would buy me a big green bag with cancelled stamps. I had to soak them off the envelope corners. At the Woolworths store was where she got them. Then I got a video game machine.
Aren't the current tariffs set to expire? The others were stopped by SCOTUS, right? and the Trade Court is getting the Treasurer to pay back? what's happening with all that?
Concerned about gubernatorial races in California and Oregon. States have been holding the line. What can we do to keep blue governors in power in blue states?
Work to get them elected.
…and convince the unelectable candidates to withdraw from the race.
For instance in California’s gubernatorial race, the bottom four Democrats – each of them polling in the low single digits – should drop out. Thurmond, Yee, Mahan and Villaraigosa have absolutely no business continuing their campaigns.
It's a bit frustrating bc, unfortunately, it APPEARS that our concerns are ignored or the Dems in CA are a mess. I am NOT saying they are, it's just that the powers that be APPEAR to not be addressing it.
Yesterday, while on my walk, a couple stopped to talk to me. Strangers. I assume they remembered I wore a Kamala hat. They were really upset about Swalwell - as all of us are about him. They asked now what? Where are the Dems? Why do we just get donation requests? Where is CA leadership on this? I said I know. It's difficult but a lot of those requests don't come from the candidates but I agree most of the candidates need to drop out.
It is one thing to say work to keep the Governorship blue, but it's hard bc there is a real concern that doesn't seem to be addressed. We don't know what is going on behind closed doors. Leadership may have all the best intentions and have a plan, but voters don't see it and I understand the frustration and real fear. I just tell everyone I know that I am voting for whomever is in the lead.
I, for one, am also sick of the donation requests being the only form of communication. We are more than checkbooks and I am tired of funding beach houses for Dem consultants. I am happy to give to state parties, etc but am reticent to give to campaigns as I know it’s just likely just funding more TV advertising and the 15% commission our consultants still receive on the buy (a commission no one else in advertising gets anymore).
just contribute to our preferred hopium candidates and focus on the senate.
Unfortunately, it does appear to many that donation requests are the only form of communication. There is a lot of resentment about this. I tell friends to donate to the Hopium candidates or state parties. I also tell them unsubscribe, unsubscribe, unsubscribe bc those requests just keep on coming.
To your point, a poll dropped today from Emerson College, which I think is an okay one (?). https://emersoncollegepolling.com/california-2026-poll-april/. Recognizing that Simon hasn't publicly vetted this poll and said yesterday not to put too much weight on CA polls at this time, the Emerson poll shows it's Steyer (14), Porter (10), Becerra (10), and everyone else. Becerra seems to have gotten the lion's share of the boost from Swalwell dropping out. So yes, the others should drop out, and especially Villaraigosa should immediately stop with the negative campaigning against Becerra. https://www.sacbee.com/news/politics-government/capitol-alert/article315413202.html?giftCode=2615c7d27997773e78e4c4906af94dd25c5e298511725d5ede73f0d0d3cab03d. Time for unity.
Simon pointed out yesterday that all of this is likely to work out okay, especially with the orange toddler endorsing one of the GOP candidates. Steyer is even with Bianco now (who's never polled above 14 in the Emerson polls), and someone just has to beat one of the Republicans. But it'd be nice if people started dropping out and endorsing now.
I agree, and thanks for the new poll, which I had not seen.
Trump made a huge strategic mistake by endorsing one of the Republican candidates. By doing so, he made it far less likely that the two Republicans will get the most vote – shutting out what was a potentially catastrophic divided Democratic field.
I think Simon is right. I’m no longer anxious about the risk of California electing another Republican. That said, I still think Dems need to get their act together and cull the field!
A lot of us in California are anxious about the Governor's race. It would help if most of the candidates would just drop out already.
No one I know is considering voting for Villaraigosa unless he is in the lead. I don't pay attention to him and I had no idea he is running a negative campaign against Becerra. I hope it backfires on him and he drops out. Interesting that Becerra is rising in the polls bc he was really low before.
I also agree with you that it would be nice if people started dropping out and endorsing now. Ballots are going out soon.
Betsy, I hear you. I think here at grassroots level we each need to pick a horse in this race and ride it hard for the next two weeks. I personally like Steyer's position on universal healthcare and on environmental issues. Against him I only hear "distrust of rich people." I think the lower downs are terrified of backing a non-career guy and equally terrified of picking a loser. I think CADem is out of its mind and torn apart by partisanship and cronyism. I am not happy either...
Betsy right with you, call me anytime , KellyAnn Oregon 503 409 4754
Typo alert - the short quote from the Gettysburg address reads “small have a new birth of freedom” rather than “shall have……”
(The cursed auto-correct strikes again!)
fixed, thank you!
Happy to support you however I can :)
I was heartened by Peter Magyer’s comments on the current state media. He was direct with the moderator about his intended reforms but also corrected their past lies about him and his family.
Wow, He was on fire and he said it calmly, directly and was not intimidated. Unlike Trump, he spoke the truth and didn't come across as a lying buffoon. Loved it.
"intimidated" not "intimated" - I fixed it!
Yes! Here's to making truth truthful again.
I think there's a strong lesson for us from Hungary: first, tie the corruption and attacks on democracy directly to the people's economic woes and, second, move quickly to address the corruption.
I understood the Biden administration's approach. Get the country over COVID and back to "normal." Pass good bills to directly benefit people. Keep the focus off of Trump's corruption. And it could have worked. But it didn't. Next time, we have to be able to do two things at once. We have to go after the corruption root and branch. AND we have to do things to directly benefit people.
I called my representatives to say NO money for ICE or war and that the president is not in touch with reality and must be replaced. Just yesterday, he insisted that Tom Tillis is no longer a senator and that no one but Trump has ever ended a single war.
Not Everyone Can Do Everything. But Almost Everyone Can Do Something.
💯. That's how I feel. A young canvasser came to our home. My husband was surprised I answered the door. I said, he is working to get Dems elected and measures passed. I can take 15 minutes to listen and sign what I am comfortable signing. My husband came over and signed a few as well. The young canvasser was beaming. He suggested websites to get more information. He also allowed me to take a picture of the ID he was wearing. So, did I do anything? Not as much as the young canvasser, but I took the time to listen and sign what I believed in (I knew of some of them). We are not happy with our council member so we hope to get another person elected. It's a long shot, but you never know.
Wonderful. I’m sure that gave him a boost and we need people like that involved.
💯
that's fantastic - thank you!
Prayers answered in IOWA!
After JD Vance’s unprecedented visit to Hungary to campaign for Viktor Orbán, during which JD’s contribution led only to Orbán’s further drop in the polls, JD is ready for his next gig. (On the bright side, JD Vance did not visit Pope Leo.)
I know, I know. I’m not alone in hoping and praying for JD Vance to campaign for vulnerable Republican incumbents throughout the nation. Well, our prayers have been answered!
.
DES MOINES, Iowa — Vice President JD Vance will visit Iowa later this month, with plans to campaign alongside Republican Rep. Zach Nunn. The vice president plans to campaign with Nunn in an effort to score another term for the incumbent and keep Iowa's 3rd Congressional District red.
https://www.weareiowa.com/article/news/local/local-politics/vice-president-jd-vance-visit-iowa-campaign-zach-nunn-midterms/524-ccac21cd-42b7-43cd-ac4d-841408661711
More here:
https://www.axios.com/2026/04/15/vance-iowa-campaign-midterms-2028
Wishing for his Vance's usual kiss of death for Zach Nunn.
JD Vance--one of D's best electoral weapons. Keep up the good work, JD
Coming to a donut shop near you. Let him loose.
Maybe we can save a lot of money in campaign spending by just getting Vance invited to speak everywhere!
LOL yes!
Yes, like he did at Turning Point event in Augusta, GA.
Our paper reported Vance attended a Turning point event in Augusta, GA and not many people were there. It said the unfulfilled seats were 2 to 1 empty seats to the people attending. The people attending were hostile to him. One man said: "I voted for Trump in the past, but not anymore. He's a demagogue." Another man who served in Iraq, said not all the military if for this war with Iran. J.D. Vance is on a roll taking down the once solid MAGA groups. Keep up the good work, J.D.
"I have lost my energy for people saying Trump is playing five-dimensional chess who have obviously never even played regular chess" --Heather Melton Fox
Trump is not even playing three-dimensional chess – unless you count the pieces that the insane toddler, in his Epic Fury, swept off the table onto the floor!
He's not even playing checkers, let alone chess. And anything he does play at--like golf--he cheats.
https://youtu.be/MJmzUcaS4XU?si=mUhipe0NiH4IuFAL
Dance On to Victory, Hopiates.I will catch Simon' s remarks from last night a bit later today.
This Song above is for the playlist and dedicated to the Magas and Doomers unaware of the shifting landscape into pro-democracy dominance!
Mark Knopfler’s “ You Dont Know You Were Born.”
💃🕺💃🕺💪💪💪
good one!
Stop sending weapons to Israel. That is consistent message I hear in every resistant group I’m in. Dems cannot ignore that.
Bernie is taking that on.
I think J Street's leadership will help:
https://jstreet.org/reassessing-the-us-israel-security-relationship/
I wrote a long comment and somehow lost it. Shorter version, which is probably a good idea anyway. Last night's Hopium gathering was a real boost with the vision for a resurgence of democracy here and elsewhere in the world even as we are in the midst of post reality crazy politics. The wrap up with the reading of the Gettysburg address was deeply touching. Called my R rep and urged him to vote for the war powers resolution and end the impulsive damaging war. Also, to roll back the tariffs and speak out about the very obvious mental deterioration of DJT.
Donated to Hopium campaigns.
Many, many thanks to those who phone bank for Virginia tonight!!!
A little trivia since I have the benefit of a Hungarian grandmother. Peter Magyar's name literally means Peter Hungarian - I think it's funny no one has mentioned it. It would be like having a president named Peter American
The proper way to say it in Hungarian sounds like muh - jar
As far as his statement, if Democrats spoke like he did in that clip, we would all love it. What this country needs to recover is some hard core calling out of the lies.
Lyn - I have been waiting for someone to raise this too! I had a Hungarian professor in grad school who made sure we knew who the Magyar people were.
“As far as [Magyar’s] statement, if Democrats spoke like he did in that clip, we would all love it.”
That is what I kept saying to myself as I listened to the clip— such a delight to imagine the Faux News hosts being directly confronted for their non-stop lying! I laughed out loud at the part where the Hungarian news lady sputtered “I would never interrupt you” while she was interrupting Magyar!
Thank you for the pronunciation help: is the accent on the “ muh” or the “jar”?
muh Actually, a better transliteration would probably be "mudge ar"
Kinda like Indiana Jones, then. And Magyar (and the country of the same name) apparently punches Nazis.
I remember collecting (cancelled) world stamps as a kid. That what was always on the stamps from Hungary.
yep, that's how I knew what it was!
My mom would buy me a big green bag with cancelled stamps. I had to soak them off the envelope corners. At the Woolworths store was where she got them. Then I got a video game machine.
Holy shit am I old!
Yep! I totally remember soaking the stamps. I don't know what ever happened to my stamp album. Wish I still had it. It was around 4th grade or so.
LOL! Me too!
Simon,
What do you think about the National Popular Vote Compact as a work around to the Electoral College? It looks like the measure has momentum.
Young people are not past Gaza. Dems ignore that to their peril.
Aren't the current tariffs set to expire? The others were stopped by SCOTUS, right? and the Trade Court is getting the Treasurer to pay back? what's happening with all that?
Wow, what a call-out on Hungarian media that was - to their own audience. That's an energizer for today - thanks!
Love the song Michael. Very apropos. I just stopped dancing.