Not a good idea. Yes, she’s brilliant and well-known. But 1) she’s not interested, 2) is’s doubtful she’d be an effective campaigner, 3) she may not be a capable Senator, and 4), 5) and 6) she’s not interested.
You should have stopped at "she's not interested." Everything else is a swipe at a more than capable woman who holds a tenured chair at a very well regarded college. She would be a more than "capable" senator. I'll just take those rather demeaning assessments as your having a bad day.
excerpt— "Running for elected office is not my skill set. Rather running I think I could probably do, but actually doing the job is a different thing, and that's not a skill set I have. If I had ever wanted to develop the talents of going through long reports and sitting on committees and figuring out different constituencies and splitting babies for one side or the other in the Solomon's sense, I would have done it by now, and I don't want that. What I do have is another set of skills that are unique, and I'm using them every day in what I hope is a way that is protecting American democracy in a way I really can contribute versus running for a Senate seat for people who would be electing me knowing that I don't really know how to do the job. So, I would not be a good candidate for that position, and I wanted to point that out because one of the things I'm always emphasizing to people is to know your lane to bring your A game, and I promise you, I bring my A game every day here and, and when I write at night, and when we do the videos and all that I really do bring my a game… I can't bring an A game to a Senate race, I just don't have those skills."
I also follow HCR. Please, reread what I said. I DID NOT in any way contradict anything HCR said. I was responding to the original poster. Maybe it's harder discerning a declarative sentence, "she is not interested." than I had imagined. You might want to write to Sen Elizabeth Warren and remind her that "academia and politics don't mix". That should be worth an old fashioned belly laugh. Or Jamie Raskin, one of the leading Constitutional scholars in this country. I am sure that Pres Obama would also be amused by your comment.
Academia and politics don't mix at the same time, like oil and water! I am a Ph.D. scientist who held research faculty appointments in two departments at my University: Dept. of Earth and Planetary Sciences and Dept. of Biology. Elizabeth Warren was no longer at Harvard University when she took office. She was required to take an unpaid leave of absence starting in 2008 to chair a Congressional Oversight Panel and to help form the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. She formally retired from the university to take her oath of office on January 3, 2013. Rep. Jamie Raskin officially left his academic position as a Constitutional Law Professor at the American University Washington College of Law in 2017, coinciding with his swearing-in as a U.S. Representative for Maryland's 8th Congressional District. HCR has expressed no interest in resigning her academic position or requesting a leave of absence. She is doing what she loves now.
Now that we know how educated you are, thank you ever so for exegeting the obvious.
Of course they resigned!!!! That is what they do. It does not negate the original comment. What part of basic reading is so hard to understand? Iss the Socratic Method only used in the Liberal Arts?
By the way - when Daniel Patrick Moynihan, when he retired from the Senate, went back to teaching at Harvard. Perhaps you've heard of it?
Give it a rest - find a good book, needlepoint, soap operas. Just stop.
Heather is an educator and an interpreter of history and politics. For all of us. She is fantastic at what she is doing right now. She's never run for anything. Never held public office. She would hate it. (And I don't know her personally but I've been reading and following her from the time she started her substack). We would lose an incredible resource, I believe. She's doing her "dharma" now. Let's use the best of her as she is!!!
Sen Warren was also an educator, she also had never run for office. Teachers make excellent legislators - after all, they help form the backbone of those who go on to run this country. Why are we the only "First world country" that demeans those who hold the keys to understanding and protecting our democracy?
I especially appreciate how so many can divine her thoughts.
well yes, no one is good at everything. people have very different abilities, gifts and interests= key in her statement she doesn't want to run for elected office. The research she does - not many have the ability and the single mindedness to pursue. Teaching requires another set of skills outside the knowledge of the field. some academics have both plus the interest for both. being a senator requires a different skill set - obviously Warren has it but not all academics do.
And most academics don't run for office. To immediately make teaching a no go says more about how education is judged in this country than else can be said. Be a plumber? No problem! But be an educator, well now, let's think about that.....
101 Members who have worked in education, including teachers, professors, instructors, school fundraisers, counselors, administrators, or coaches (78 in the House, 23 in the Senate);
4 physicians in the Senate, 16 physicians in the House, plus 5 dentists;11
1 psychologist (in the House), an optometrist (in the Senate), 2 pharmacists (in the House), and 3 nurses and 1 emergency medical technician (all in the House);
5 ordained ministers (3 in the House, 2 in the Senate);
41 former mayors (34 in the House, 7 in the Senate);
13 former state governors (all in the Senate) and 10 lieutenant governors (6 in the Senate, 4 in the House);
6 attorneys general of their states (all in the Senate) and 6 secretaries of state (2 in the Senate, 4 in the House);
16 former judges (all but 1 in the House) and 32 prosecutors (6 in the Senate, 26 in the House) who have served in city, county, state, tribal, federal, or military capacities;
3 former Ambassadors (1 in the Senate, 2 in the House);
264 former state or territorial legislators (45 in the Senate, 219 in the House, including 2 Delegates and the Resident Commissioner from Puerto Rico);12
at least 77 former congressional staffers (16 in the Senate, 61 in the House, including 3 Delegates), as well as 4 former congressional pages (1 in the House and 3 in the Senate);13
3 sheriffs, 4 police officers, 1 fire chief, 1 firefighter, 1 parole officer, 2 CIA employees, and 1 FBI agent (all in the House);
1 Peace Corps volunteer in the House and 1 AmeriCorps volunteer in the Senate;
2 physicists and 2 chemists, all in the House, and 1 geologist in the Senate;
9 engineers (8 in the House and 1 in the Senate);
29 public relations, marketing, or communications professionals (3 in the Senate, 26 in the House) and 5 accountants (1 in the Senate and 4 in the House);
4 software company executives in the House and 2 in the Senate;
42 consultants14 (7 in the Senate, 35 in the House), 5 car dealership owners (all in the House), and 5 venture capitalists (1 in the House, 4 in the Senate);
11 bankers or bank executives (1 in the Senate, 10 in the House), 25 veterans of the real estate industry (2 in the Senate, 23 in the House), and 10 Members who have worked in the construction industry (1 in the Senate, 9 in the House);
6 social workers (2 in the Senate, 4 in the House) and 5 union representatives (all in the House);
24 nonprofit executives or founders (22 in the House, 2 in the Senate);
2 radio talk show hosts (both in the House); 4 radio or television broadcasters, managers, or owners (3 in the House, 1 in the Senate); 10 reporters or journalists (1 in the Senate, 9 in the House); and 2 newspaper publishers in the House;
17 insurance agents or executives (3 in the Senate, 14 in the House) and 16 Members who have worked in the securities and investment industries (3 in the Senate, 13 in the House);
1 artist, 1 book publisher, and 1 speechwriter (all in the House), and 2 documentary filmmakers in the Senate;
7 restaurateurs, as well as 3 coffee shop owners, and 1 wine store owner (all in the House), and 1 brewpub owner in the Senate;
31 farmers, ranchers, or cattle farm owners (8 in the Senate, 23 in the House);
1 almond orchard owner, 1 crops nursery owner, as well as a forester, a fruit orchard worker, and a horse trainer (all in the House);
1 flight attendant and 4 pilots, all in the House, and 1 astronaut in the Senate;
2 professional football players, 1 hockey player, 1 baseball player, and 1 mixed martial arts fighter (all in the House); and
6 current members of the military reserves (5 in the House, 1 in the Senate) and 5 current members of the National Guard (all in the House).
Other occupations listed in the CQ Member Profiles include emergency dispatcher, ride share driver, animal nutrition specialist, waiter, electrician, rodeo announcer, carpenter, video game developer, computer systems analyst, software engineer, R&D lab executive, and explosives expert.
Notice which profession is most prominent. Yet still people think teaching and the profession are not "worthy."
We would not lose her as a resource. In fact, she could well continue the Letters as Senator.
As far as her hating it, as an educator, she has had to go to faculty senate meetings and department meetings. She didn't come down with the rain this morning.
It is obvious how deeply she cares about what is happening to this country, and has clear ideas about where we SHOULD be headed. I think she would have a bigger platform to speak to America or to get things done as a Senator.
I'm not holding my breath but at the same time I have this fantasy that he crashes and burns and his ashes smothered in shame and disgust and that his goose-stepping MAGA Maggots join him.
This part in particular struck me: "I therefore propose that the Senators who vouched for Platner, especially those who backed Biden, should agree to a full and open examination of how this happened twice, including being interviewed and their staff being interviewed so we can understand how they were deceived so many times. This should include turning the Fight Club texts over to independent Democratic researchers to understand how they were deceived. Until that is resolved, they should not take such an active role in primary negotiations or campaigns, and they should voluntarily examine and reform how they decide to endorse candidates."
They will have no role about who will be elected to fill a vacated position unless they are members of the governing body of the state party, which is usually a combination of elected and automatic members—the political party's State (Central) Committee.
I'm not sure I follow. Are you saying the politicians who endorsed Platner (Warren, Bernie, Ro Khanna) have no role in primary negotiations or campaigns?
Sorry, I was thinking about the process of filling Platner's vacancy on the general election ballot. I did not mean to comment on all primaries and all campaigns.
Simon, Stuart Stevens’ video was pitch perfect and right on the money! Can he run in Maine 😉😆?!? As for the future of the Maine race, do you feel even with the shirt runway, we still have a real opportunity to flip the seat? I remain cautiously optimistic and feel this whole debacle can ultimately become a blessing in disguise for us. Certainly, a well taught lesson as we move towards future elections.
I donated to the Maine Democratic Party yesterday and will again next week after payday. In addition to everything else that's happened, Platner also squandered precious resources on his campaign and now on the process to replace him.
We are going to lose at least a month of fundraising and general election resources are now being diverted to the nominating process. While we can still win our job will be much harder now.
What will happen to the donations made to Platner's campaign? I assume he won't want to give any to the Maine Democratic Party. Will the funds just sit in his campaign fund? Can the funds be used to pay his consultants? I know we need to focus on electing Dems nationwide, but it's hard not to be furious at Platner, his team and frankly those big names that endorsed him. Thank you.
"According to the latest data from the Federal Election Commission, as of May 20, Platner has raised more than $16 million since last July. He managed to spend more than $14 million of that, leaving just over $2 million in the bank."
"Under guidelines by the FEC, a candidate who drops out does have control over leftover funds.
The candidate can return the money to donors, transfer up to $2,000 per election to other federal, state, local or foreign candidates or donate to charitable organizations.
The money can't be used for personal expenses, but it can be used to move a campaign office or pay staff."
Thanks for this, Deborah. Let's hope Platner donates his remaining campaign funds (which are probably less than the $2 million on the June 30 FEC report) to whomever the Maine Dems pick to replace him as Collins' opponent. But not holding my breath that he will do that.
I was startled to learn that apparently we are at war with the Islamic State of Japan!!!
Seriously, can you imagine the response of the NYT if Joe Biden had made that gaffe?
But this? Crickets.
Sent another donation to Maine today. What a great interrview with Charlie Dingman.
Apologies again that this is not its own thread. When I'm out here in "rural" Santa Clara County my phone cant seem to handle substack chats very well, and I'm never sure where it will show up on the thread.
Perhaps a blessing in disguise. Even before the last revelation, Platner was damaged by previous things (allegations, tattoos, etc.). He was a flawed person. I don’t think the polling data demonstrates that his political positions were unpopular. He was and Mainers apparently like Collin’s. She defeated the center left Dem 6 years ago.
Sorry, I actually address this notion directly in the video last night for it is wishcasting. No candidate with Platner's ideological positioning has won a contested Senate, House or gubernatorial race since Trump has elected. It has never been tried in a battleground race, and where we are trying it this cycle our candidates are underperforming. I explain why in my writings and in the video. Beating Collins is actually far easier right now than any of the other things our Senate challengers must do. Platner and Platnerism failed, mightily; his chosen candidate for governor, running on a similar platform, got 21% of the vote and finished third with his full endorsement. So what the data suggests is that his powerful personality and redemption story was actually helping him overcome the drag of his ideological positioning, not the other way around.
I think it will be interesting to see what happens in Michigan where the more progressive candidate is not a creep like Platner but an articulate, talented candidate to the left of the Schumer pick. El-Sayed message is similar to Talarico and Osoff, politicians should be working for their voters not special interests that fund their campaigns. I will support who ever the people of Michigan choose. Simon’s description of Stevens leads me to believe she would be a great Senator and maybe a safer bet. Remember that Wisconsin race against Ron Johnson when he was very unpopular? I forget the name of the progressive candidate who lost. Times are changing however and after the horror of Gaza an AIPAC candidate may have a harder time.
I think either can win. I prefer Abdul, but Steven’s would be far better than the Republican Rogers. I’m not in Michigan. Although I may root for a candidate, Michigan folks will decide. I think the Dems will be fine either way. It’s a blue wave coming due to Trump’s evil and incompetence.
Simon, one more question if I may. We obv don’t yet know whether MI will nominate Sayed or Stevens. Personally, I would have preferred McMorrow out of the three. However, should Sayed receive the nomination, do you feel the prowess and popularity of both Whitmer and Slotkin will help push him over the finish line against Rogers? Or I should say even with Stevens as well? I refer more to Sayed simply because he’s quite a progressive candidate for such a ‘true swing state.’ Do you feel both Whitmer and Slotkin would add their weight and do you feel either Sayed or Stevens would be dialed in enough to seek their aid for a must keep state? I hope the data favors us to hold onto that seat regardless of the nominee 🙏.
Simon shared his personal knowledge of Stevens’ progressive qualifications in the last 10 minutes or so of the talk last night. As a McMorrow donor, I admit I didn’t know much about Stevens and was impressed. If you didn’t get a chance to watch last night I hope you can find time for the replay.
Thank you, I will. I’ve been so busy at work, I’m surprised at myself that I’ve been able to comment on these posts at all. That said, it is very possible Sayed achieves the nomination. I think we as a party, have to be prepared either way! If Sayed gets the nod, we have to strategize accordingly to do whatever necessary to KEEP the seat! Same if the nominee is Stevens. This race risks losing either some progressive voters or some moderate voters and it’s gonna be a trick for us to ensure we hold on to as much of the state electorate coalition there as possible.
Stuart = appropriate level of snark! That Platner video was abhorrent, and he came across as a whiny man-baby. I am fired up and will donate to Maine today!
In other news, looks like Postcards to Swing States is out of cards for a couple states already (including Alaska!) - and they've released their list of House races you can write for, which includes NJ07 and a couple other of our House districts! You can sign up here: https://secure.ngpvan.com/bcp6GpoxVEC3b1bF0GqgZg2
Off to make some calls to Kim & Booker re War Powers and Orange's incompetence.
I’m certainly open to more aggressive politics from the Democratic Party, but not if it’s sacrifices winning majorities. We need majorities. We need to disrupt Republican super majorities. We need to flip majorities in any legislative chamber whether it’s the United States Congress or a state legislature, or a city council that we possibly can. We need to protect Democratic governors’ veto powers. We need to win every single place we can possibly win. It’s that simple.
And I was thinking about this last night… I’m a Medicare for all guy, that’s what my ideal situation would be for healthcare. So I have my issues with the affordable care act… I’ll tell you what, it’s been a vast improvement of what I had prior to the affordable care act. And it’s the most progressive piece of legislation that has been passed relative to healthcare since 1965. And you know what facilitated that?? Big Democratic majorities in the Congress!
We will see what the future holds… but one thing I do know is that if the country suddenly has a massive appetite for huge sweeping reforms, and it actually permeates not just into the majority population but is widely geographically distributed as well, provided that we have the majorities to do it, they will reflect that will among the American people. But harm reduction first… Take power away from these people. Let’s go kick some ass!
Hi Steve - 100% on the ACA's track record. As a former health care provider, I am also a national health service proponent, but the ACA has done everything we hoped it would with regard to access for many more Americans to affordable health care.
I agree - if there's not an ass kicking November 3, I don't know what's next.
Appreciate your thoughtful comments every day! Tell Lincoln NE hi.
We can’t let impatience and the struggles of any given moment to completely blind us to the progress we’ve already achieved in the improvements we’ve already made, and most especially we can’t forget what made those improvements possible, which is winning. The formula for winning tweaks itself a little bit each election cycle, but winning is absolutely essential to making progress on our values and objectives.
Are there other ways we can help the Maine Dem Party other than contributing (which I have done)? I am thinking if they have a postcard program to encourage early voting, We reakky enjoyed that back in 2024
I read Noel Casler on X yesterday saying he wouldn't be surprised if Platner didn't have some kind of connection to Bannon and that whole dark world. It actually makes sense to me. At any rate, I have confidence that the Maine Democrats will choose the best possible candidate. Whoever that is needs to tie Susan Collins to the corruption and ineptness of the Republican party
I wouldn’t be surprised if him and others like him aren’t somehow funded by dark money. My mom was active in the 60s anti war movement and she said it was safe to say that every leftist activist group was likely compromised.
I use the name Limnologist for NYT. Commented today too, but here's what I said yesterday.
Democrats are highly motivated to win in November. You saw it in voter turnout of Democrats vs. Republicans throughout these midterm elections. We are winning in the polls, winning in the courts, and the generic ballot question clearly favors Democrats. We are overperforming by double digits nation-wide, winning all of the special elections by huge margins. maga is currently the big loser in the USA !
I read about 2 sentences and quit in disgust. NYT is unbelievable. Which Party stands for nothing?? Hint: it’s not the Democrats. Talk about a Democrats suck narrative - it’s the consistent position of the NYT. From Hillary’s emails to “they” allowed this Platner debacle, somehow?
I cancelled both WaPo and NYT in 2024. It was a form of protest on my part. When I feel I need to read an article in either one, I access it through my library— for free.
News in Texas is encouraging except for ICE shooting in Houston. Extremely sad and infuriating. Talarico pulling in 30 million in 2nd quarter. I’m watching the ground game pick up state wide with lots of different groups. I’ve been hopeful over and over but it’s finally feeling like Texas might have built some GOTV muscle in all our fits and starts.
This morning the world feels upside down. Trump's asinine and deeply offensive statements in Ankara, Platner's Trump-like refusal to take any responsibility for his past actions and for his gaslighting Maine voters, McConnell's apparent end-of-life incapacitation and Republican apparent lies about talking to him on the phone, Republican members of Congress refusal to check Trump's erratic, illegal, and corrupt behavior and statements, and another damn pool touched by Trump turning thick and brown with something. I am thankful for our community, for Simon and Stuart being willing to just say what needs to be said, and for our longsuffering and hard working MOC who, without a majority, are fighting this scourge every day. Thank God for judges who are ruling against Trump because it is the right thing to do. Thankful also for the American people who are sick to death of this bullshit and continue to lose faith in MAGA. Let's hope they all vote on November 3 so we can send a message to MAGA and to the world that we all haven't lost our freakin minds here in America.
Case in point in 2018 was Conor Lamb’s win in a March special election in Western Pennsylvania, flipping a House seat from R to D. Too bad he didn’t win the subsequent D Senate primary against Fetterman.
Heather Cox Richardson for US Senate. A Mainer for Maine.
Does anyone around here know her? Can you talk to her to get her to run?
She has categorically said no. You can listen to this Tuesday’s politics chat for her own words. You’ll find her on youtube.
People can change their minds. She would be fantastic. She would crush Susan Collins. Most importantly, America needs her.
Run Heather Run!
Not a good idea. Yes, she’s brilliant and well-known. But 1) she’s not interested, 2) is’s doubtful she’d be an effective campaigner, 3) she may not be a capable Senator, and 4), 5) and 6) she’s not interested.
You should have stopped at "she's not interested." Everything else is a swipe at a more than capable woman who holds a tenured chair at a very well regarded college. She would be a more than "capable" senator. I'll just take those rather demeaning assessments as your having a bad day.
Here is HCR explaining her position. I respect her declination. No sign in required (just click on the X). https://www.instagram.com/reel/DagwSJax0M6/
excerpt— "Running for elected office is not my skill set. Rather running I think I could probably do, but actually doing the job is a different thing, and that's not a skill set I have. If I had ever wanted to develop the talents of going through long reports and sitting on committees and figuring out different constituencies and splitting babies for one side or the other in the Solomon's sense, I would have done it by now, and I don't want that. What I do have is another set of skills that are unique, and I'm using them every day in what I hope is a way that is protecting American democracy in a way I really can contribute versus running for a Senate seat for people who would be electing me knowing that I don't really know how to do the job. So, I would not be a good candidate for that position, and I wanted to point that out because one of the things I'm always emphasizing to people is to know your lane to bring your A game, and I promise you, I bring my A game every day here and, and when I write at night, and when we do the videos and all that I really do bring my a game… I can't bring an A game to a Senate race, I just don't have those skills."
I also follow HCR. Please, reread what I said. I DID NOT in any way contradict anything HCR said. I was responding to the original poster. Maybe it's harder discerning a declarative sentence, "she is not interested." than I had imagined. You might want to write to Sen Elizabeth Warren and remind her that "academia and politics don't mix". That should be worth an old fashioned belly laugh. Or Jamie Raskin, one of the leading Constitutional scholars in this country. I am sure that Pres Obama would also be amused by your comment.
Academia and politics don't mix at the same time, like oil and water! I am a Ph.D. scientist who held research faculty appointments in two departments at my University: Dept. of Earth and Planetary Sciences and Dept. of Biology. Elizabeth Warren was no longer at Harvard University when she took office. She was required to take an unpaid leave of absence starting in 2008 to chair a Congressional Oversight Panel and to help form the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. She formally retired from the university to take her oath of office on January 3, 2013. Rep. Jamie Raskin officially left his academic position as a Constitutional Law Professor at the American University Washington College of Law in 2017, coinciding with his swearing-in as a U.S. Representative for Maryland's 8th Congressional District. HCR has expressed no interest in resigning her academic position or requesting a leave of absence. She is doing what she loves now.
Now that we know how educated you are, thank you ever so for exegeting the obvious.
Of course they resigned!!!! That is what they do. It does not negate the original comment. What part of basic reading is so hard to understand? Iss the Socratic Method only used in the Liberal Arts?
By the way - when Daniel Patrick Moynihan, when he retired from the Senate, went back to teaching at Harvard. Perhaps you've heard of it?
Give it a rest - find a good book, needlepoint, soap operas. Just stop.
Dr. Potter, thank you for reminding us of the reply rules and for your many contributions to Hopium. 🙏
Heather is an educator and an interpreter of history and politics. For all of us. She is fantastic at what she is doing right now. She's never run for anything. Never held public office. She would hate it. (And I don't know her personally but I've been reading and following her from the time she started her substack). We would lose an incredible resource, I believe. She's doing her "dharma" now. Let's use the best of her as she is!!!
Sen Warren was also an educator, she also had never run for office. Teachers make excellent legislators - after all, they help form the backbone of those who go on to run this country. Why are we the only "First world country" that demeans those who hold the keys to understanding and protecting our democracy?
I especially appreciate how so many can divine her thoughts.
Good points. I was just voicing my opinion. I’m not necessarily right. Thanks for the dialogue.
it's not demeaning to point out that the skills and gifts required in the two professions have very little overlap.
That limits what people may accomplish. Unless, of course, you ascribe to the old shibboleth, "Those who can, do; those who can't, teach."
well yes, no one is good at everything. people have very different abilities, gifts and interests= key in her statement she doesn't want to run for elected office. The research she does - not many have the ability and the single mindedness to pursue. Teaching requires another set of skills outside the knowledge of the field. some academics have both plus the interest for both. being a senator requires a different skill set - obviously Warren has it but not all academics do.
And most academics don't run for office. To immediately make teaching a no go says more about how education is judged in this country than else can be said. Be a plumber? No problem! But be an educator, well now, let's think about that.....
Here's the list of occupations from Congress.Gov:
44 Senators with previous House service;
101 Members who have worked in education, including teachers, professors, instructors, school fundraisers, counselors, administrators, or coaches (78 in the House, 23 in the Senate);
4 physicians in the Senate, 16 physicians in the House, plus 5 dentists;11
1 psychologist (in the House), an optometrist (in the Senate), 2 pharmacists (in the House), and 3 nurses and 1 emergency medical technician (all in the House);
5 ordained ministers (3 in the House, 2 in the Senate);
41 former mayors (34 in the House, 7 in the Senate);
13 former state governors (all in the Senate) and 10 lieutenant governors (6 in the Senate, 4 in the House);
6 attorneys general of their states (all in the Senate) and 6 secretaries of state (2 in the Senate, 4 in the House);
16 former judges (all but 1 in the House) and 32 prosecutors (6 in the Senate, 26 in the House) who have served in city, county, state, tribal, federal, or military capacities;
3 former Ambassadors (1 in the Senate, 2 in the House);
264 former state or territorial legislators (45 in the Senate, 219 in the House, including 2 Delegates and the Resident Commissioner from Puerto Rico);12
at least 77 former congressional staffers (16 in the Senate, 61 in the House, including 3 Delegates), as well as 4 former congressional pages (1 in the House and 3 in the Senate);13
3 sheriffs, 4 police officers, 1 fire chief, 1 firefighter, 1 parole officer, 2 CIA employees, and 1 FBI agent (all in the House);
1 Peace Corps volunteer in the House and 1 AmeriCorps volunteer in the Senate;
2 physicists and 2 chemists, all in the House, and 1 geologist in the Senate;
9 engineers (8 in the House and 1 in the Senate);
29 public relations, marketing, or communications professionals (3 in the Senate, 26 in the House) and 5 accountants (1 in the Senate and 4 in the House);
4 software company executives in the House and 2 in the Senate;
42 consultants14 (7 in the Senate, 35 in the House), 5 car dealership owners (all in the House), and 5 venture capitalists (1 in the House, 4 in the Senate);
11 bankers or bank executives (1 in the Senate, 10 in the House), 25 veterans of the real estate industry (2 in the Senate, 23 in the House), and 10 Members who have worked in the construction industry (1 in the Senate, 9 in the House);
6 social workers (2 in the Senate, 4 in the House) and 5 union representatives (all in the House);
24 nonprofit executives or founders (22 in the House, 2 in the Senate);
2 radio talk show hosts (both in the House); 4 radio or television broadcasters, managers, or owners (3 in the House, 1 in the Senate); 10 reporters or journalists (1 in the Senate, 9 in the House); and 2 newspaper publishers in the House;
17 insurance agents or executives (3 in the Senate, 14 in the House) and 16 Members who have worked in the securities and investment industries (3 in the Senate, 13 in the House);
1 artist, 1 book publisher, and 1 speechwriter (all in the House), and 2 documentary filmmakers in the Senate;
7 restaurateurs, as well as 3 coffee shop owners, and 1 wine store owner (all in the House), and 1 brewpub owner in the Senate;
31 farmers, ranchers, or cattle farm owners (8 in the Senate, 23 in the House);
1 almond orchard owner, 1 crops nursery owner, as well as a forester, a fruit orchard worker, and a horse trainer (all in the House);
1 flight attendant and 4 pilots, all in the House, and 1 astronaut in the Senate;
2 professional football players, 1 hockey player, 1 baseball player, and 1 mixed martial arts fighter (all in the House); and
6 current members of the military reserves (5 in the House, 1 in the Senate) and 5 current members of the National Guard (all in the House).
Other occupations listed in the CQ Member Profiles include emergency dispatcher, ride share driver, animal nutrition specialist, waiter, electrician, rodeo announcer, carpenter, video game developer, computer systems analyst, software engineer, R&D lab executive, and explosives expert.
Notice which profession is most prominent. Yet still people think teaching and the profession are not "worthy."
We would not lose her as a resource. In fact, she could well continue the Letters as Senator.
As far as her hating it, as an educator, she has had to go to faculty senate meetings and department meetings. She didn't come down with the rain this morning.
It is obvious how deeply she cares about what is happening to this country, and has clear ideas about where we SHOULD be headed. I think she would have a bigger platform to speak to America or to get things done as a Senator.
All good points. Thanks for talking with me.
I appreciate your grace and patience today, Kate.
I'm not holding my breath but at the same time I have this fantasy that he crashes and burns and his ashes smothered in shame and disgust and that his goose-stepping MAGA Maggots join him.
Join these organizations that help you send postcards to likely Democratic voters:
https://turnoutpac.comhttps://votefwd.orghttps://shop.bluewave.com/postcards
commit2democracy.com/postcards
My group here in SoCal is writing 5000 cards for CA-48 with turnout pac. They supply the cards and the script. activateamerica.vote is a good one too.
link doesn't work
Thought this was a powerful twitter essay on the Platner affair
https://x.com/JBSDC/status/2075238962315075709?s=20
This part in particular struck me: "I therefore propose that the Senators who vouched for Platner, especially those who backed Biden, should agree to a full and open examination of how this happened twice, including being interviewed and their staff being interviewed so we can understand how they were deceived so many times. This should include turning the Fight Club texts over to independent Democratic researchers to understand how they were deceived. Until that is resolved, they should not take such an active role in primary negotiations or campaigns, and they should voluntarily examine and reform how they decide to endorse candidates."
They will have no role about who will be elected to fill a vacated position unless they are members of the governing body of the state party, which is usually a combination of elected and automatic members—the political party's State (Central) Committee.
I'm not sure I follow. Are you saying the politicians who endorsed Platner (Warren, Bernie, Ro Khanna) have no role in primary negotiations or campaigns?
Sorry, I was thinking about the process of filling Platner's vacancy on the general election ballot. I did not mean to comment on all primaries and all campaigns.
Can't access the essay.
Thanks for the clarification Deborah, that makes sense
Simon, Stuart Stevens’ video was pitch perfect and right on the money! Can he run in Maine 😉😆?!? As for the future of the Maine race, do you feel even with the shirt runway, we still have a real opportunity to flip the seat? I remain cautiously optimistic and feel this whole debacle can ultimately become a blessing in disguise for us. Certainly, a well taught lesson as we move towards future elections.
I donated to the Maine Democratic Party yesterday and will again next week after payday. In addition to everything else that's happened, Platner also squandered precious resources on his campaign and now on the process to replace him.
We are going to lose at least a month of fundraising and general election resources are now being diverted to the nominating process. While we can still win our job will be much harder now.
What will happen to the donations made to Platner's campaign? I assume he won't want to give any to the Maine Democratic Party. Will the funds just sit in his campaign fund? Can the funds be used to pay his consultants? I know we need to focus on electing Dems nationwide, but it's hard not to be furious at Platner, his team and frankly those big names that endorsed him. Thank you.
Donors are not guaranteed refunds, although ActBlue provides refunds. The money is Platner's to spend according to election law, and that's usually on campaign debt. Here is an explanation published on July 7, 2026. https://wgme.com/news/local/what-happens-to-graham-platners-campaign-funding-if-he-drops-out-of-the-senate-race-maine-democrat-susan-collins-federal-election-commission
"According to the latest data from the Federal Election Commission, as of May 20, Platner has raised more than $16 million since last July. He managed to spend more than $14 million of that, leaving just over $2 million in the bank."
"Under guidelines by the FEC, a candidate who drops out does have control over leftover funds.
The candidate can return the money to donors, transfer up to $2,000 per election to other federal, state, local or foreign candidates or donate to charitable organizations.
The money can't be used for personal expenses, but it can be used to move a campaign office or pay staff."
Thanks for this, Deborah. Let's hope Platner donates his remaining campaign funds (which are probably less than the $2 million on the June 30 FEC report) to whomever the Maine Dems pick to replace him as Collins' opponent. But not holding my breath that he will do that.
Also not holding my breath.
I was startled to learn that apparently we are at war with the Islamic State of Japan!!!
Seriously, can you imagine the response of the NYT if Joe Biden had made that gaffe?
But this? Crickets.
Sent another donation to Maine today. What a great interrview with Charlie Dingman.
Apologies again that this is not its own thread. When I'm out here in "rural" Santa Clara County my phone cant seem to handle substack chats very well, and I'm never sure where it will show up on the thread.
When the Islamic State of Japan goes to war with the Catholic State of Antarctica, be afraid. Be very afraid.
Aren't they allied with the Shinto Republic of Saudi Arabia?
Seriously though, that's not just a tongue slip. That's faulty wiring.
Perhaps a blessing in disguise. Even before the last revelation, Platner was damaged by previous things (allegations, tattoos, etc.). He was a flawed person. I don’t think the polling data demonstrates that his political positions were unpopular. He was and Mainers apparently like Collin’s. She defeated the center left Dem 6 years ago.
Sorry, I actually address this notion directly in the video last night for it is wishcasting. No candidate with Platner's ideological positioning has won a contested Senate, House or gubernatorial race since Trump has elected. It has never been tried in a battleground race, and where we are trying it this cycle our candidates are underperforming. I explain why in my writings and in the video. Beating Collins is actually far easier right now than any of the other things our Senate challengers must do. Platner and Platnerism failed, mightily; his chosen candidate for governor, running on a similar platform, got 21% of the vote and finished third with his full endorsement. So what the data suggests is that his powerful personality and redemption story was actually helping him overcome the drag of his ideological positioning, not the other way around.
I think it will be interesting to see what happens in Michigan where the more progressive candidate is not a creep like Platner but an articulate, talented candidate to the left of the Schumer pick. El-Sayed message is similar to Talarico and Osoff, politicians should be working for their voters not special interests that fund their campaigns. I will support who ever the people of Michigan choose. Simon’s description of Stevens leads me to believe she would be a great Senator and maybe a safer bet. Remember that Wisconsin race against Ron Johnson when he was very unpopular? I forget the name of the progressive candidate who lost. Times are changing however and after the horror of Gaza an AIPAC candidate may have a harder time.
I think either can win. I prefer Abdul, but Steven’s would be far better than the Republican Rogers. I’m not in Michigan. Although I may root for a candidate, Michigan folks will decide. I think the Dems will be fine either way. It’s a blue wave coming due to Trump’s evil and incompetence.
Simon, one more question if I may. We obv don’t yet know whether MI will nominate Sayed or Stevens. Personally, I would have preferred McMorrow out of the three. However, should Sayed receive the nomination, do you feel the prowess and popularity of both Whitmer and Slotkin will help push him over the finish line against Rogers? Or I should say even with Stevens as well? I refer more to Sayed simply because he’s quite a progressive candidate for such a ‘true swing state.’ Do you feel both Whitmer and Slotkin would add their weight and do you feel either Sayed or Stevens would be dialed in enough to seek their aid for a must keep state? I hope the data favors us to hold onto that seat regardless of the nominee 🙏.
Simon shared his personal knowledge of Stevens’ progressive qualifications in the last 10 minutes or so of the talk last night. As a McMorrow donor, I admit I didn’t know much about Stevens and was impressed. If you didn’t get a chance to watch last night I hope you can find time for the replay.
Thank you, I will. I’ve been so busy at work, I’m surprised at myself that I’ve been able to comment on these posts at all. That said, it is very possible Sayed achieves the nomination. I think we as a party, have to be prepared either way! If Sayed gets the nod, we have to strategize accordingly to do whatever necessary to KEEP the seat! Same if the nominee is Stevens. This race risks losing either some progressive voters or some moderate voters and it’s gonna be a trick for us to ensure we hold on to as much of the state electorate coalition there as possible.
Hopefully across the party, as soon as each state chooses their nominee, everyone will be all in because the stakes are so so high in this election!
Stuart = appropriate level of snark! That Platner video was abhorrent, and he came across as a whiny man-baby. I am fired up and will donate to Maine today!
In other news, looks like Postcards to Swing States is out of cards for a couple states already (including Alaska!) - and they've released their list of House races you can write for, which includes NJ07 and a couple other of our House districts! You can sign up here: https://secure.ngpvan.com/bcp6GpoxVEC3b1bF0GqgZg2
Off to make some calls to Kim & Booker re War Powers and Orange's incompetence.
Keep going!
I’m certainly open to more aggressive politics from the Democratic Party, but not if it’s sacrifices winning majorities. We need majorities. We need to disrupt Republican super majorities. We need to flip majorities in any legislative chamber whether it’s the United States Congress or a state legislature, or a city council that we possibly can. We need to protect Democratic governors’ veto powers. We need to win every single place we can possibly win. It’s that simple.
And I was thinking about this last night… I’m a Medicare for all guy, that’s what my ideal situation would be for healthcare. So I have my issues with the affordable care act… I’ll tell you what, it’s been a vast improvement of what I had prior to the affordable care act. And it’s the most progressive piece of legislation that has been passed relative to healthcare since 1965. And you know what facilitated that?? Big Democratic majorities in the Congress!
We will see what the future holds… but one thing I do know is that if the country suddenly has a massive appetite for huge sweeping reforms, and it actually permeates not just into the majority population but is widely geographically distributed as well, provided that we have the majorities to do it, they will reflect that will among the American people. But harm reduction first… Take power away from these people. Let’s go kick some ass!
Hi Steve - 100% on the ACA's track record. As a former health care provider, I am also a national health service proponent, but the ACA has done everything we hoped it would with regard to access for many more Americans to affordable health care.
I agree - if there's not an ass kicking November 3, I don't know what's next.
Appreciate your thoughtful comments every day! Tell Lincoln NE hi.
We can’t let impatience and the struggles of any given moment to completely blind us to the progress we’ve already achieved in the improvements we’ve already made, and most especially we can’t forget what made those improvements possible, which is winning. The formula for winning tweaks itself a little bit each election cycle, but winning is absolutely essential to making progress on our values and objectives.
Yup, we have to win.
If we don't, then it doesn't really matter what our policies are!
Are there other ways we can help the Maine Dem Party other than contributing (which I have done)? I am thinking if they have a postcard program to encourage early voting, We reakky enjoyed that back in 2024
Postcards to Swing states: https://secure.ngpvan.com/bcp6GpoxVEC3b1bF0GqgZg2
Not early voting necessarily, just voting in general
Thanks...I will be postcarding in Iowa
I read Noel Casler on X yesterday saying he wouldn't be surprised if Platner didn't have some kind of connection to Bannon and that whole dark world. It actually makes sense to me. At any rate, I have confidence that the Maine Democrats will choose the best possible candidate. Whoever that is needs to tie Susan Collins to the corruption and ineptness of the Republican party
I wouldn’t be surprised if him and others like him aren’t somehow funded by dark money. My mom was active in the 60s anti war movement and she said it was safe to say that every leftist activist group was likely compromised.
Today, I’ve been writing comments on the NYT editorial which is basically Dems suck. NYT sucks! Read it and comment:
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/07/08/opinion/graham-platner-suspends-campaign-democrats-lessons.html?unlocked_article_code=1.wVA.hHHu.5vb7iyv8kJ1p&smid=nytcore-ios-share
Also writing voter registration postcards to Ohio and donating to Maine.
I wrote one that was published too, Ann. Hopium Information Warriors in action!
Excellent. Did you use your substack name for it? I'll try to find it so I can like it!
I use the name Limnologist for NYT. Commented today too, but here's what I said yesterday.
Democrats are highly motivated to win in November. You saw it in voter turnout of Democrats vs. Republicans throughout these midterm elections. We are winning in the polls, winning in the courts, and the generic ballot question clearly favors Democrats. We are overperforming by double digits nation-wide, winning all of the special elections by huge margins. maga is currently the big loser in the USA !
I read about 2 sentences and quit in disgust. NYT is unbelievable. Which Party stands for nothing?? Hint: it’s not the Democrats. Talk about a Democrats suck narrative - it’s the consistent position of the NYT. From Hillary’s emails to “they” allowed this Platner debacle, somehow?
Yes, it’s very frustrating. I cancelled my WaPo subscription some time ago, and don’t like supporting the NYT either.
Cancelled my subscription to both papers a while ago as well. ok I kept the NYT Games subscription 😬
But we need the investigative reporters
I cancelled both WaPo and NYT in 2024. It was a form of protest on my part. When I feel I need to read an article in either one, I access it through my library— for free.
News in Texas is encouraging except for ICE shooting in Houston. Extremely sad and infuriating. Talarico pulling in 30 million in 2nd quarter. I’m watching the ground game pick up state wide with lots of different groups. I’ve been hopeful over and over but it’s finally feeling like Texas might have built some GOTV muscle in all our fits and starts.
Great to hear this! Let's keep it going!!
This morning the world feels upside down. Trump's asinine and deeply offensive statements in Ankara, Platner's Trump-like refusal to take any responsibility for his past actions and for his gaslighting Maine voters, McConnell's apparent end-of-life incapacitation and Republican apparent lies about talking to him on the phone, Republican members of Congress refusal to check Trump's erratic, illegal, and corrupt behavior and statements, and another damn pool touched by Trump turning thick and brown with something. I am thankful for our community, for Simon and Stuart being willing to just say what needs to be said, and for our longsuffering and hard working MOC who, without a majority, are fighting this scourge every day. Thank God for judges who are ruling against Trump because it is the right thing to do. Thankful also for the American people who are sick to death of this bullshit and continue to lose faith in MAGA. Let's hope they all vote on November 3 so we can send a message to MAGA and to the world that we all haven't lost our freakin minds here in America.
Case in point in 2018 was Conor Lamb’s win in a March special election in Western Pennsylvania, flipping a House seat from R to D. Too bad he didn’t win the subsequent D Senate primary against Fetterman.
Stuart Stevens’ powerful message to Platner is perfect!
Thank you for sharing, Simon!
Will donate to ME Dem party when I get home.