Happy Sunday everyone. I’m really enjoying the stories of all the ways people in this remarkable community are busting their butt to vote early, and working the early vote in their networks, families, and organizations. In the next ten days more than twenty states turn on early in person voting including Alaska, Georgia, Iowa, North Carolina, Texas, and Wisconsin. Tens of millions are going to be voting soon. It is going to be very exciting to see, and we need to keep working it all.
My main message to you today is just as we are all planning on voting early it’s time now to make the call on where you are going to make your final investments of the cycle. Everyone should plan on having all your money spent by October 25th for money that comes in after that just gets hard to spend strategically. While we have hit important fundraising goals this cycle, and raised now more than $6.5m for our battleground candidates and party committees, we still have some critical goals I hope we can hit before October 25th - together.
Note that we have added Adam Hamilton of Kansas to our Winning the Senate Fund - for it is now clear that yes we now have a real shot at winning a Senate seat there for the first time in nearly 100 years!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
To help inform your final decision making I encourage you to spend some time with our library of battleground candidate and state party leader interviews this long weekend. For watching these interviews will remind you that one of the central reasons we are closing strong is that we have a remarkable set of leaders who have stepped up to run and fight for their country this cycle. The candidates we’ve met are passionate, committed, inspiring, and determined to win and make things better for their communities. You can hear it in their voices and see it in their ads. For as we’ve been discussing the American people have once again put their faith back in us and our candidates after the extraordinary abandonment and betrayal of Trump, MAGA and the oligarchs these past two years. And now we must win, decisively, and start the hard work of making things better.
As we’ve been discussing (here, here) if anything the polling and news environment got worse for Republicans this week. There literally has been no good news for them, no good polling, and Trump keeps falling, growing more distant to the American people. Here’s Civiqs today, down to 33% approval, his lowest of the term.
We are also now starting to see encouraging data coming in from the early vote. While it’s early, and we cannot make broad judgements yet, let’s just look at this remarkable data from battleground Ohio. In 2022 at this point the two parties were even in the early vote. This year, today, Dems have a 14 point lead in a much bigger electorate…..
Our friend Tom Bonier just posted a new analysis on Bluesky that builds on some of the early vote data we’ve been discussing here this week (link to his thread). It’s encouraging stuff…….
I try to keep things light and easy on Sundays but I cannot close out today without mentioning Trump’s wild, emotional embrace of Putin over the past two days. Whatever the cause - desperation, insecurity, compromise - Trump is clearly now aligning the United States with Russia, Iran, North Korea, and China against Ukraine, Europe, and NATO. Trump crossed a big, bright, traitorous line in the last forty-eight hours, and we need to become loud and proud in our opposition.
Here is what Mike Pence posted on Twitter yesterday:
Here’s is Dr. Phillips O’Brien this morning:
Poor Donald Trump. For the last 21 months he had to do a great deal of lying. He had to pretend at times that he really cared about the people dying in the Russo-Ukraine War, that he really wanted a deal that was good for Ukraine, that he was getting frustrated with Vladimir Putin, and that he even liked Volodymyr Zelensky. At times Trump had to push himself to lie with real commitment and panache, fooling almost all the world’s press into believing that he might send Ukraine advanced weapons, that he might put harsh sanctions on Russia, that he might “pivot” away from supporting Putin towards helping Ukraine.
It obviously took a real toll on him. Having to pretend that he was not wholeheartedly committed to Putin or desperate for a Russian victory, that he did not despise Ukraine and Zelensky, was really difficult.
Donald Trump has been serially disloyal and unfaithful to every person in his life, except for Vladimir Putin. He craves the affection and approval of the Russian dictator, loves talking with him, loves doing Putin’s bidding and, most of all, loves being with him. Even in the midst of Trump’s most outrageous lies (remember when he was going to send Ukraine Tomahawk missiles in September/October 2025?), the truth was there for those willing to see it. At exactly that time, he also hung a picture of himself next to Putin very prominently in the White House (above a picture of himself with a granddaughter). His real affections were always there for those who wanted to admit it—indeed they were on display.Now, the lying is over. Donald is free to be what he always wanted to be and to sing it loudly to the world. He, and by extension the government of the United States of America, is Vladimir Putin’s friend and partner. He will help Putin, protect Putin, and do what he can to get the best possible deal for Vladimir Putin.
This time he probably cannot go back. The expressions of intense emotion of the last 24 hours are too clear for even the most gullible of the press (and that is most of them) to ever again start writing about the next, supposed Trump “pivot” to Ukraine. Trump is free now. His heart can sing the song he has always wanted to sing, and the American people can no longer deny that the USA is run by a Russian useful idiot or agent of influence (depending on the nomenclature you prefer). Personally I prefer agent of influence, because vast sums of money are also involved. Trump not only loves Putin, he wants to get paid.
[I tried to describe this concept]not long after Trump’s second term began.This reality coming out so openly is obviously the story of the week. It also emerged as the Russians ramped up their terror bombing, which provided the most horrible counterpoint to how Trump wants to see the war. And it leaves Ukraine and the rest of Europe facing only one question. Are they strong enough to do what needs to happen to save themselves?
In a related story this morning the new PM of the UK Andy Burnham became the first leader of the UK to openly acknowledge the role Russia played in passing Brexit and forcing the UK out of Europe:
After we win these midterms we are going to have a lot of work to do put things right here in America. Among the most important things we will have to is to make clear that our party, and the parts of the co-equal branches of our government that we control, stands firmly with Ukraine, Europe, NATO, democracy, freedom and not Putin, Le Pen, the AfD, and other elements of the Illiberal Internationale. In a moment of crisis for his political project here and around the world Trump has thrown himself once again into Putin’s loving arms, hoping that his “dear friend” will bail him out of a losing election as he did for him in 2016. But we are not going to let that happen are we, fellow proud, plucky, patriots?
Desperate men do desperate things, and that’s why it’s now time to go
Two things you can do today in addition to supporting our intrepid candidates and state parties:
Become an
Early Vote Championin your networks, communities, and organizations.Sign up to become a
Democracy Protectortoo. Our next training is this Wednesday, Oct 14th at 8pm ET.
**Our Winning The House - Stake In The Ground Fund **- Donate | $1,582,100 raised, $2,000,000 goal | Watch interviews with all twelve candidates | This is our #1 fund, updated now with new intel to include the twelve most competitive races where money and volunteers are most needed (largely due to the expense of the district, and understanding now where Republicans have decided to stand and fight).
Our * Stake In The Ground Fund* now includes Jamie Ager (NC-11), Rebecca Bennett (NJ-7), Christina Bohannan (IA-01), Paige Cognetti (PA-08), Cait Conley (NY-17), Sarah Trone Garriott (IA-03), Jo Mendoza (AZ-06), Christina Hines (MI-10), Brian Poindexter (OH-7), Bobby Pulido (TX-15), Manny Rutinel (CO-8), Randy Villegas (CA-22).
If we win these twelve races the House flips - period. So let’s get on with the flippin’!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Our Winning The Senate Fund - Donate | $1,380,100 raised, $1,500,000 goal | Watch interviews with these Senate flippers | This fund splits a single donation to our seven candidates must likely to flip a Senate seat this November - Sherrod Brown (OH), Roy Cooper (NC), Adam Hamilton (KS), Troy Jackson (ME), Mary Peltola (AK), James Talarico (TX), and Josh Turek (IA). This is the team that is going to flip the Senate people. Note that on 10/9 we expanded this fund to include Adam Hamilton - yes much is possible for us this year!
**Our New Growing Our House Majority Fund **- Donate | $615,100 raised, $1,000,000 goal | Watch interviews with all eighteen candidates | We’ve combined our Second and Third Waves Funds and added some candidates from our OG Winning The House Fund in a new fund we are calling Growing The House Majority. The idea is simple - we win the House with our first House fund. We grow our majority with this one.
This fund now splits a contribution evenly among 18 candidates - Bob Brooks (PA-07), Rebecca Cooke (WI-03), Elaine Luria (VA-02), Sean McCann (MI-04), Johnny Garcia (TX-35), Bob Harvie (PA-01), Lindsay James (IA-02), Jake Johnson (MN-01), Jessica Killin (CO-5), Nancy Lacore (SC-01), Chaz Molder (TN-05), Jonathan Nez (AZ-02), Dr. Richard Pan (CA-06), Denise Powell (NE-02), Dr. Amish Shah (AZ-01), Janelle Stelson (PA-10), Shannon Taylor (VA-01), and Marni von Wilpert (CA-48).
Support The State Parties’ Election Protection Program - Donate | $99,000 raised, $100,000 new stretch goal | We’ve launched a new, targeted fundraising campaign to help get the new election protection program of the State Democratic Parties, one this community helped develop, off the ground.
A reminder that the maximum that a donor can contribute to any Federal candidate for the general election is $3,500, however that money is donated.
Winning Alaska - Donate | $16,700 raised, $150,000 goal | Our Winning Alaska campaign splits a contribution evenly among Mary Peltola for Senate, Jonathan Kreiss-Tomkins for governor, and the Alaska Democratic Party and its great Chair, Eric Croft.
**Winning Georgia ***- *Donate | $53,100 raised, $150,000 goal | Our Winning Georgia campaign splits a contribution three ways among Senator Jon Ossoff, gubernatorial candidate Keisha Lance Bottoms, and the Georgia Democratic Party and it’s great Chair, Charlie Bailey.
Winning Iowa - Donate | $62,100 raised, $150,000 goal | Our Winning Iowa campaign splits a contribution three ways among Josh Turek for Senate, our gubernatorial candidate Rob Sand, and to the Iowa Democratic Party and it’s great Chair, Rita Hart.
**Winning Maine **- Donate | $96,800 raised, $150,000 goal | Our Winning Maine campaign splits a contribution evenly among Troy Jackson for Senate, Hannah Pingree for Governor, and the Maine Democratic Party and its battle-tested Chair, Charlie Dingman.
Winning North Carolina - Donate | $73,900 raised, $200,000 goal | Our Winning North Carolina campaign splits a contribution evenly among Roy Cooper for Senate, Anita Earls for the state Supreme Court, and the NC Democratic Party and it’s ass-kicking chair, Anderson Clayton.
Winning Ohio - Donate | $234,100 raised, $250,000 goal | Our Winning Ohio campaign splits contributions evenly among Sherrod Brown, the Acton-Pepper ticket, and the Ohio Democratic Party and its terrific Chair, Kathleen Clyde.
Winning Wisconsin - Donate | $36,900 raised, $150,000 goal - Our Winning Wisconsin campaign splits contributions evenly among David Crowley for Governor and the Wisconsin Democratic Party (and its terrific Chair Devin Remiker) and it’s legislative victory fund. Our community has invested heavily in getting helping Wisconsin Democrats flip both state legislative chambers and finally get a trifecta. Now we must finish the job!
Hopium’s Audacious Expansion Fund - Donate | $695,100 raised, $750,000 goal | Join our campaign that has helped expand our map by investing in the Democratic Parties of Alaska, Florida, Iowa, Maine, and Texas, all now central battlegrounds in the 2026 election | Contribute to all five state parties with one contribution split evenly among these five critical battlegrounds | Catch interviews with the five intrepid state chairs leading their troops into battle this year - will get you fired up!
Finally, self-report all the good trouble you are making each day in our paid subscriber chat below.
Keep working hard all. For we have a country to save, and elections to win all across the country, together! - Simon
