Trump And The Rs Are Not Winning, MTG Rips Into GOP Over Health Care, New Ads And Videos Are Flying in NJ and VA

Trump drops 3 in new Economist/YouGov track, now in th3 30s on most of the issues that matter.

Morning all. The CBS News poll released Sunday had Trump dropping 4 points in job approval since their last poll, and down 16 points all told (42%-58). Today’s Economist/YouGov weekly tracking poll has him dropping 3 and clocking in at an ugly -17 (39%-56%). In the generic ballot among registered voters Republicans dropped two points since last week, and Dems now have a 5 point lead, 44%-39%.

Trump’s waning ability to rally the public behind his big arguments is also very apparent in this new tracking poll:

• Only 37% support the military in our cities

• 33% approve of his handling of the shutdown

• 30% blame Democrats for the shutdown

While they didn’t ask these questions this week, last week’s Economist/You Gov track had Trump at

• 38% approval on the jobs and the economy

• 36% on free speech

• 35% on health care

• 32% on inflation

• and only 44% approval on immigration

In the Washington Post poll last week only 29% of voters wanted the ACA subsidies to expire. It was only 22% in the Kaiser poll.

For those who know polling you don’t often see so many answers to questions in the 20s and 30s. It’s a sign that Trump’s powers of persuasion are ebbing, and he is growing more distant to voters.

A week into the shutdown and budget battle it’s clear that Trump and Republicans are not winning the big arguments with the public. This early data suggests that it is also beginning to do harm to an already weakened Trump and the GOP, and that Democrats were right to pick this fight.

What remains most stunning to me about where we are now is how unprepared the Republicans were for this fight, and how hard it has been for them to defend not just the ACA and Medicaid cuts but Trump’s broader agenda - the big ugly bill really was big and ugly! As I said to Senator Booker last night they’ve been squealing like a stuck pig - flailing, escalating, deflecting and reinforcing what an unserious bunch of nasty buffoons they all are. Democrats made the right call here and need to stay united and on offense for so far we are winning this big debate and they are losing.

Want more evidence we are winning? Here’s what Marjorie Taylor Greene wrote on Twitter yesterday:

I was not in Congress when all this Obamacare, “Affordable Care Act” bullshit started. I got here in 2021. As a matter of fact, the ACA made health insurance UNAFFORDABLE for my family after it was passed, with skyrocketing premiums higher than our house payment.

Let’s just say as nicely as possible, I’m not a fan.

But I’m going to go against everyone on this issue because when the tax credits expire this year my own adult children’s insurance premiums for 2026 are going to DOUBLE, along with all the wonderful families and hard-working people in my district.

No I’m not towing the party line on this, or playing loyalty games. I’m a Republican and won’t vote for illegals to have any tax payer funded healthcare or benefits.

I’m AMERICA ONLY!!!

I’m carving my own lane.

And I’m absolutely disgusted that health insurance premiums will DOUBLE if the tax credits expire this year.

Also, I think health insurance and all insurance is a scam, just be clear!

Not a single Republican in leadership talked to us about this or has given us a plan to help Americans deal with their health insurance premiums DOUBLING!!!

Our country sent $30 billion to Israel in 2024 alone killing countless innocent children and sent HUNDREDS OF BILLIONS to Ukraine in the past few years. By the way, I voted NO to all of that murder! America has funded the Ukrainian government, Ukrainian, pensions, and Ukrainian businesses during this entire stupid war that America should have nothing to do with.

All our country does is fund foreign countries and foreign wars, and never does anything to help the American people!!!

It is absolutely shameful, disgusting, and traitorous, that our laws and policies screw the American people so much that the government is shut down right now fighting over basic issues like this.

Again, NO FUNDING FOR ILLEGALS AND ANY BENEFITS FOR THEM, BUT WE HAVE TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT THE ABSOLUTELY INSANE COST OF INSURANCE FOR AMERICANS.

You don’t HATE your government enough. I’m here in Washington DC this week to meet with anyone who is AMERICA ONLY and will work with me on a plan for AMERICANS ONLY!!!

Just stunning criticism of Trump and Mike Johnson from an important Republican in Congress.

And listen to the AG this morning. This does not sound like winning:

New, Timely Discussions With Those On The Frontlines And Leading - Gavin Newsom, Cory Booker, James Talarico, Adam Smith, Eric Swalwell, Randi Weingarten - get to them when you can, and remember you can find links to all of our discussions here under the Podcast tab on the Hopium site and on YouTube, Apple Podcasts and Spotify too. Excited to bring you all this wonderful and uplifting content!

Ads, Videos, Attacks, Social Flying In NJ And VA - Here’s a brand new Spanberger ad, and note that it attacks her opponent on abortion (yes it is still a potent issue):

Been loving the upbeat, can-do, “let’s keep working hard” attitude of the Sherrill campaign of late. Watch this great video:

Their social media is full of energetic posts like this:

And check out this hard-hitting new video too:

Friends, if we keep working hard we can win the fall, together……

Now, 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, $102k 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, $207k 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, $80k raised - Donate | Learn More | Volunteer | Watch my inspiring new interview with Senator Ossoff

• Hopium House 7 (2026) - $250,000 goal, $214k 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, $49,000 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

1. 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

2. 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 unlawful occupation of our cities

3. 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

4. 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