Morning all. Last night the proud, plucky patriots of this remarkable community gathered for our weekly get together. It was a lively affair, as they usually are. A recording and rough transcript are above. Here is some of what we talked about last night, with an assist from this morning’s news….
My overarching message right now - all the data is pointing in the same direction and telling us this:
The battlefield keeps eroding for the Rs, we’re on the cusp of having the election we all have wanted to have, and now we need to close strong and finish the job.
The NYT has a remarkable story today about disillusioned Republican voters in Western Michigan that confirms that we have an extraordinary opportunity in front of us right now. Just look at these quotes from the story (gift link):
“People are just more focused on everyday life,” said Lindsay Kronemeyer, 35, a conservative Christian mother of two who works in the construction industry. “I don’t hear the chatter on the Republican side of ‘Trump this, Trump that.’ He’s just not there in my head anymore.”
………
Jim Pasek, a retired pharmaceutical plant maintenance worker who lives in the tiny town of Gobles, Mich., was baffled by a president he has voted for twice.
“He’s not making sense,” Mr. Pasek, 80, said. “It confuses me, and then I just get disgusted and tune out.”
………..
“President Trump has been saying, ‘Vote as if I was on the ballot,’ and that’s exactly what I’m going to do — not vote,” said Brandon Tremaine, 24, a graduate student in Texas who voted for Mr. Trump in 2020. “You do not campaign on being the ticket of peace and start a war of choice that is directly hurting Americans here at home and gotten Americans killed overseas.”
…………
“People are tired,” Al Pscholka, a Republican and a former member of the Michigan House of Representatives, said of Mr. Trump. “The whole divider-in-chief thing, it’s gotten to the point where it’s just exhausting.”
As millions have begun to vote Brent crude surged today, reminding us, as Trump does everyday, that he is a titanic f*ck up and deserves to get his ass-kicked this November:
Trump just keeps dropping, eroding, melting. Nothing they’ve done has stopped the bleeding (via FiftyPlusOne):
A comprehensive set of YouGov polls this week found the Senate flipping and Dems leading in KANSAS and NEBRASKA FFS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
We just keep seeing generic ballot polls with double digit big blue wave Dem leads like this week’s Economist/YouGov tracker:
Perhaps the most remarkable data of these last few heady days of encouraging data was the Gallup Party ID release. Just look at the trend lines!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The most significant early vote trend we are seeing in Target Early’s data so far is a heightened performance across the country of voters of color. Really encouraging stuff:
I also agree with what Jen Rubin wrote today. Trump’s campaigning is making things worse not better for the Rs, and it is possible they are going to take him off the trail. Here’s Jen:
what has become increasingly apparent as he declines in vigor, impulse control, and overall health is the degree to which he and his followers fall prey to the victim mentality, excuse-mongering, and wallowing in their own rage.
Taking a step back, we can recognize Trump and his minions’ shrieking as the pathetic last yelps of a dying autocratic regime. As a pragmatic, political matter, it must be a turn-off for all those guys who thought they were getting a tough guy and instead received a feeble hysteric. No wonder they no longer bother showing up to his campaign rallies.
That’s some of what we talked about last night. Watch the discussion when you can, share it with others, hit like so more will see it, and let’s close today with our new 2026 Election mantra, borrowed from the great Anderson Clayton:
Elections are decided in November, but they’re won in October
Yes, my friends, that means it is time to go…..
Three things you can do 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.Email photos of your electoral work or physical act of voting to community@hopiumchronicles.com or via links on our daily chat. We want to start showcasing them here on Hopium.
Here’s Maggie P and her postcarding crew in Edmonds, WA:
**Our Winning The House - Stake In The Ground Fund **- Donate | $1,556,100 raised, $2,000,000 goal (new stretch 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), and 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 | $1,321,100 raised, $1,500,000 goal | Watch interviews with all six Senate flippers | This 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). This is the team that is going to flip the Senate people!
**Our New Growing Our House Majority Fund **- Donate | $603,100 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).
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.
Support The State Parties’ Election Protection Program - Donate | $98,100 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.
Winning Alaska (New) - Donate | $14,700 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 | $47,100 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 | $61,100 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 | $95,700 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 | $73,700 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 | $219,100 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 | $693,100 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!
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Keep working hard all. For we have a country to save, and elections to win all across the country, together! - Simon
