Happy Labor Day everyone. A far-right party won a small state election in Germany yesterday. Our failed war in the Middle East continues to rage, the Russian-Ukrainian war is becoming far bloodier and Putin far more desperate, Trump’s inflation is harming the global economy, our economy, and weakening the balance sheets of governments throughout the world. Amy Acton was attacked by an armed man in Ohio yesterday, the corrupt Roberts Court continues to encourage fascism and the end of rule of law in America……..
It’s a lot, peeps. Things feel unsteady - and they are. But there is also this:
There is also this remarkable man speaking on Meet The Press yesterday:
Then there are all our inspiring candidates, people of character, who are leaving it all out there on the playing field for us all across the country……
On Thursday night I went to an event in DC with Dr. Amy Acton and Governor Wes Moore. Here’s a photo I took from the event:
I talked to Dr. Acton at the event. She thanked me for the support this community has given her and her running mate David Pepper. But then she said something remarkable, something along the lines of “Simon I think there is something happening out there with people that goes beyond their economic struggles, of higher costs. People are crying at my events, breaking down, in public and crying. Sherrod Brown tells me he’s never seen so many people cry at events as he is seeing this year. People are yearning for something more, some deeper connection to each other and their leaders, something far better…….”
I told her that I agreed. That we’ve been hearing something like this from the candidates we’ve been meeting. That in a time of extraordinary oligarchical abandonment and betrayal, of being lead by rogues, sexual predators. and criminals, that the American people were desperate to be led by admirable people again……people who had served their community, had showed up for them, and and could be trusted to fight for them when in power, and restore dignity, compassion, and true love of country and one another to this once great nation…..that people knew something had gone deeply wrong and were looking for our leaders to put it right, that this was no normal time nor was this a normal election…..it was something more…..
In her remarks to our gathering Dr. Acton referenced our conversation and this deep desire she was feeling from people for something better. It was a powerful set of remarks, and she, as David Pepper writes above, is an incredible woman and leader. One, like so many of our other candidates, feels the gravity of the moment and is rising to meet it, with grace, dignity, and a powerful sense of duty…..
On this Labor Day that honors the grit, hard work, and aspirations of the many let’s commit to do our part in these few weeks in the great global battle for freedom and democracy. Let us be inspired by the compassion and courage of Amy Acton, of the bravery and resilience and leadership of Zelenskyy, of the patriotism and fight we’ve seen in our candidates, and in all the remarkable work every day Americans do here at Hopium and all across the country each day for their democracy……
For we have an opportunity in these next few weeks to do something deeply meaningful for the world, and for our future - we need to go out and win these mid-term elections everyone. We will do it through the postcards, the canvassing, the phonebanking, the donating, the Tesla Takedowns and No Kings Rallies, the info warring and election protecting.…….while each act may be small, we’ve seen that when it is millions of us doing it each day we can be mighty, mightier than Musk, and more powerful than MAGA……and so do it, each day, and then do another thing to make it more likely we win, and our terrible, addled, treacherous, corrupt leader and his allies lose.
Earlier this year Orban fell in Hungary, and so can Trump here……
We are officially in the home stretch of the 2026 election. People will be voting this week in NC and WI. Early in person voting kicks off next Friday. We are now. As things pick up in these coming days so will Hopium as we are launching two new daily products this week:
A new round up of TV ads and campaign videos that will come late morning ET Monday through Friday. These ads and videos will provide us powerful insights into what is happening across the battleground each day, and keep us connected to the many wonderful candidates we are rallying for. This new product kicks off on Wednesday.
At least one live daily event, Monday through Friday, early afternoon ET. These events will be shown live here at Hopium and my YouTube channel each day. To get reminders about each live event head to
settingsand turn on notifications for live events. If you can’t make them live they will be sent via email and posted on the site shortly after each event.
In addition to our daily work for candidates and party committees we are also promoting two new home stretch/closing strong programs that will make it more likely we win and harder for them to cheat:
Become an
Early Vote Championin your networks, communities, organizations….Sign up to be a
Democracy Protectorin your state. Our next on-line training is this Wed, Sept 9th, at 8pm ET.
Happy Labor Day all. Let us use this powerful holiday to recommit ourselves to the “great task remaining before us” that Lincoln talked about at his Gettysburg Address, the task of ensuring “a new birth of freedom” here in these United States. It is time for all of us patriots to stand up powerfully for this wounded nation, and do our part now. It is our turn. The world is watching. And simply, we must put our heads down and do what is required of us now……
For the world is watching……
Let’s start with the Hopium Daily Mantra:
There is nothing Trump and MAGA wants more than for us to be fighting with each other and not with him. We have one job now - elect as many of these wonderful candidates running for the House and Senate as we can. It’s where our focus must be. It’s a year of opportunity for us across the country. We must seize it, together.
**Our Winning The House Campaign **- Donate | $1,208,100 raised, $1,250,000 goal (new stretch goal) | Donate to all twelve of our initial wave of House challengers with a single contribution split twelve ways | Get to know Jamie Ager (NC-11), Christina Bohannan (IA-01), Paige Cognetti (PA-08), Rebecca Cooke (WI-03), Elaine Luria (VA-02), Sean McCann (MI-04), Jo Mendoza (AZ-06), Chaz Molder (TN-05), Jonathan Nez (AZ-02), Janelle Stelson (PA-10), Shannon Taylor (VA-01), and Sarah Trone Garriott (IA-03) by watching our recently recorded Hopium interviews.
Friends, if these twelve courageous candidates win, the House will flip, even with Callais and their rancid mid-decade redistricting. So eyes on the prize here everyone!
Winning The Senate - $856,100 raised, $1,200,000 goal - Donate | This new fund splits a single donation to our six candidates must likely to flip a Senate seat this November - Sherrod Brown (OH), Roy Cooper (NC), Troy Jackson (ME), Mary Peltola (AK), James Talarico (TX), and Josh Turek (IA).
Our working total includes what we’ve raised for these six so far through direct donations to their campaigns. You can watch our interviews with each of these exciting candidates and/or contribute directly to any of them directly here.
**Winning The House - The Second Wave Fund **- Donate | $364,100 raised, $500,000 goal - We’ve launched a second House fund, one supporting candidates who’ve emerged from late, primaries and need a bit more help.
Our newly expanded list now features Rebecca Bennett (NJ-07), Bob Brooks (PA-07), Cait Conley (NY-17), Johnny Garcia (TX-35), Bob Harvie (PA-01), Dr. Richard Pan (CA-06), Denise Powell (NE-02), Bobby Pulido (TX-15), Manny Rutinel (CO-8), Dr. Amish Shah (AZ-01), Randy Villegas (CA-22), and Marni von Wilpert (CA-48).
A donation to the Second Wave Fund is split evenly among these twelve, and more as other worthy candidates emerge from their primaries. Our total above includes money we’ve raised for directly for each candidate. You can watch interviews with these great candidates here.
Winning The House - The Third Wave Fund - Donate | $34,500 raised, $500,000 goal | We’ve launched this new fund for candidates who have emerged even later from primaries and need a bit more help as we work to expand our map and go deeper into tough terrain. Our initial list - and it may grow - is Christina Hines (MI-10), Lindsay James (IA-02), Jake Johnson (MN-01), Jessica Killin (CO-5), Nancy Lacore (SC-01), and Brian Poindexter (OH-7).
The “Winning” link in each state brings you to a page that includes interviews and more information about the opportunities we have in each state.
**Winning Georgia ***- *Donate | $37,100 raised, $250,000 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 | $39,700 raised, $250,000 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 | $85,100 raised, $250,000 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 Chair Charlie Dingman
Winning Ohio - Donate | $199,100 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 | $19,300 raised, $250,000 goal - Our Winning Wisconsin campaign splits contributions evenly among David Crowley for Governor and the Wisconsin Democratic Party 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!
Self-report all the good trouble you are making each day in our paid subscriber chat below…..
And keep working hard all. We have a country to save, and elections to win all across the country, together! - Simon
