2026 MIDTERM ELECTIONS, we've got to finish the job!!! 3SEP26

 

Here is a message encouragement from Sen Bernie Sanders I-VT. Election day is Tuesday, 3 November 2026 and the loyal opposition to the corrupt fascist authoritarian drumpf/trump-vance administration and the gop / greed over people-republican party has a real chance of taking control of congress and having the authority and power to defend and repair the damage to our democratic Republic. Please confirm your voter registration is current and correct. If you need to register to vote please do so. You can do both at Rock The Vote. AND then remember to vote! Vote early if possible, if you are going to vote on election day make sure you have a election day plan in place and also be aware that as long as you are in line to vote at your polling location when the polls close you will still be able to vote. If you can please send a donation of whatever you can afford to Bernie to keep our momentum going.....

The political and media establishment are in a state of shock and fear. The political revolution that we have fought for over the years is gaining momentum every day. More and more Americans, in every part of the country, understand that we must go beyond status quo politics and policies. They want leadership that will take on the greed of the Oligarchs and fight for a government and economy that works for all, not just the few.

Look around at what’s happened over the last year.

It began in November with Zohran Mamdani’s incredible campaign to become Mayor of New York City. And then the wins kept on coming.

Progressive House candidates have won elections in New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, California, Montana, Colorado, Michigan, Tennessee and Wisconsin.

We elected great progressive candidates to become the Democratic nominees for U.S. Senate. Dr. Abdul El-Sayed won in Michigan, Peggy Flanagan won in Minnesota, and Angie Nixon won in Florida. Just the other night Ed Markey won his campaign in Massachusetts.

In California, the SEIU-United Healthcare Workers West and other unions submitted over 1.5 million signatures to get a Billionaire Wealth Tax on the ballot -- a ballot initiative that, despite opposition from the Republican and Democratic establishment, is leading in recent polls.

And it’s not just election results. Poll after poll shows that the progressive agenda is incredibly popular with the American people. They are disgusted with the massive level of income and wealth inequality that exists and want the billionaires in this country to pay their fair share of taxes. They understand that healthcare is a human right for all and not a privilege, and want to lower the outrageous cost of prescription drugs. They understand that we should not be spending huge amounts of money to fund unconstitutional and illegal wars, and they want to end U.S. military support for Israel. They want AI to be regulated and to benefit all Americans, not just the billionaire owners of the industry.

So what do we do now?

Short-term, we build on our extraordinary successes by making sure the progressive candidates who won tough primaries win in the general election. Needless to say, winning a primary is one thing. Winning a general election is something else.

Three candidates who need our help today are William Lawrence, running for the House in Michigan, along with Randy Villegas and Aisha Wahab in California.

All three have tough campaigns and I am going to do everything I can between now and November to help them. But I cannot do it alone. Each of them has asked me for your help as well.

So I am asking, once again:

Can you please split a contribution of $27 or whatever you can afford between William Lawrence, Randy Villegas, and Aisha Wahab's campaigns for Congress? All of them need our help to fund a campaign to turn out the voters they need to win.

If you've stored your info with ActBlue, we'll process your contribution instantly:

CONTRIBUTE $27   CONTRIBUTE OTHER

That's short-term.

Long-term - after this election ends - we must redouble our efforts to create a vibrant democracy where the voices of all people are heard.

We must fight harder than ever to create a nation that leads the world in the struggle for peace, and for economic, social, racial and environmental justice.

And with a greater number of progressives in Congress than ever before, we must recommit ourselves to fight against the Oligarchs who control our economy, our media and political system and to move us toward a government that works for all of us and not just the one percent.

Will we succeed?

I do not have a crystal ball, but I can tell you that the last several months have given me hope - and should give you hope.

Now we've got to finish the job.

Let's get it done.

In solidarity,

Bernie Sanders

 

CONTRIBUTE NOW

 

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PO BOX 391, Burlington, VT 05402

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MOTHER JONES DAILY: A kinder, gentler surveillance state-Flock’s Answer to Its Surveillance Scandals: Trust Us, Senators sound alarm on voter intimidation in nursing homes, Elon Musk’s DOGE promised savings, but it's cost us a fortune, Legal filings allege Rep. Max Miller made “false statements” to an Ohio court, A DSA candidate lost a messy race for Wisconsin governor, Can’t Pay Preschool Teachers More? Try Giving Them a Free Place to Live. 13AUG26

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August 13, 2026 On Thursday, the CEO of Flock—the company behind those license-plate-reading surveillance cameras popping up all over—announced a slew of policy changes to limit misuse of those cameras. Over the past several months, Americans have gotten really mad at Flock. Much of that criticism stems from the fact that police across the country keep using the cameras to stalk their exes, stalk their current love interests, stalk their girlfriends' exes, and so on. In response, people are developing creative ways to disable the cameras: knocking them over, painting over the lenses, cutting the wires, or simply placing plastic bags over them. And at least 20 local governments rolled back their use of the technology in July.  But Flock, CEO Garrett Langley says, is turning over a new leaf. The company is now making mandatory a previously-optional feature that flags “abnormal activity” for review, shortening the recommended data storage period for Flock surveillance products, and establishing (optional!) limits on data sharing between police departments.  But advocates say that these policy changes, most of which are strictly discretionary for police departments, likely won't curb the rampant abuse of Flock cameras. As my colleague Alex Nguyen put it, "Flock’s answer to a crisis of trust is to ask for more of it." — Sophie Hurwitz

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Flock’s Answer to Its Surveillance Scandals: Trust Us The company is limiting access to its 120,000 license plate readers, but critics say the changes are largely optional and self-enforced. BY ALEX NGUYEN

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Senators sound alarm on voter intimidation in nursing homes BY SOPHIE HURWITZ Elon Musk’s DOGE promised savings, but it's cost us a fortune BY MICHAEL MECHANIC Legal filings allege Rep. Max Miller made “false statements” to an Ohio court BY ABBY VESOULIS A DSA candidate lost a messy race for Wisconsin governor BY ALEX NGUYEN

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Can’t Pay Preschool Teachers More? Try Giving Them a Free Place to Live. A New Haven program couldn’t raise salaries, so it began covering staff’s biggest expense instead. BY EMILY TATE SULLIVAN

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Donald Trump’s Approval Rating Flips With Rural Voters 25JUL26

 MAYBE, just maybe it is finally sinking in to those who voted for NOT MY pres drumpf/trump that maybe they made a mistake. Democrats just need to make sure they don't get pulled into pointless social issues that most people are not concerned about when a huge number of Americans are doing everything they can to put food on their table, keep a roof over their heads and are praying they don't get seriously sick. To change the direction our country is going we need to stay focused on affordability of groceries, gasoline, utilities, housing, health insurance, medication and childcare along with the illegal war on Iran, the epstein files and the out of control ice hsi and cbp gestapo. The 2026 Midterm election day is 3 NOVEMBER. From Newsweek.....

Donald Trump’s Approval Rating Flips With Rural Voters

By Sam Stevenson

Associate News Editor

President Donald Trump's approval rating among rural Americans has swung back into negative territory, according to a new Fox News poll, reversing a brief improvement seen just a month earlier and raising fresh questions about one of the president's most reliable voting blocs.

Key Points

• A new Fox News poll found Trump at 44 percent approval and 56 percent disapproval among rural voters, giving him a net -12 approval rating.
• That is a 14-point decline from June, when the same polling series found him at 51 percent approval and 49 percent disapproval, a net +2 rating.
• Trump's overall approval rating remains deeply underwater at 39 percent approve and 61 percent disapprove, a net -22 rating, unchanged from May and one point worse than June.
• Rural voters continue to view Trump more favorably than voters overall, but dissatisfaction with the economy and inflation remains widespread.

What To Know

Trump's approval rating among rural voters fell from net positive territory in June to net negative territory in July, according to consecutive Fox News national polls conducted roughly one month apart.

Rural America has long been the foundation of Trump's political coalition. A 14-point swing in a single month suggests volatility within a group that has historically been among his strongest sources of support.

Republicans heading into the 2026 midterms will be watching closely to see whether declining approval among rural voters translates into softer turnout or reduced margins in competitive states and congressional districts.

In a response the administration has used repeatedly in reply to polling inquiries, spokesman Davis Ingle said "the ultimate poll was November 5, 2024," adding that Trump is continuing to deliver on a "popular and commonsense agenda" and that "this is just the beginning as his agenda continues taking effect."

Why It Matters

Rural America has become one of the Republican Party's most important electoral advantages over the past decade. While Trump remains considerably more popular in rural communities than he is nationally, shifts within the group can be politically significant because Republican victories often depend on running up large margins outside major metropolitan areas.

The latest results are particularly notable because they erase a brief rebound recorded in June. After climbing back above water for the first time in months, Trump's standing among rural voters has once again slipped into negative territory.

That movement also comes as economic concerns continue to dominate voter sentiment. Rising costs, stubborn inflation and renewed tensions involving Iran have all remained prominent issues during the summer, particularly in farming communities that are more exposed to changes in fuel and fertilizer prices.

Rural Approval Swings Negative Again

The latest Fox News poll was conducted July 17-20, 2026, among 1,003 registered voters nationwide and carries a margin of error of plus or minus 3 percentage points.

Among rural voters, Trump recorded:

• 44 percent approve
• 56 percent disapprove
• Net approval: -12

While those numbers are stronger than Trump's overall standing, they nevertheless represent a sharp deterioration from June.

The previous Fox News poll found:

• 51 percent approve
• 49 percent disapprove
• Net approval: +2

Taken together, the results represent a 14-point swing against Trump among rural voters in just one month.

Long-Term Trend

The July result is the latest twist in what has been an increasingly uneven trend for Trump among rural voters. At the start of his second term, rural America remained one of the president's strongest political bases.

In March 2025, Fox News polling showed Trump with a net approval rating of +20 among rural voters, even as his overall approval rating nationwide was already slightly underwater at -2.

Support eroded through much of 2025. Rural net approval slipped to +7 by June 2025 before recovering somewhat to +11 in December, suggesting that while his standing remained considerably stronger in rural communities than among voters overall, enthusiasm was no longer as robust as it had been immediately after taking office.

The sharpest deterioration came during 2026. Rural approval dropped from +2 in April to -14 in May, marking the first significant move into negative territory in this polling series.

A brief rebound followed in June, when Trump returned to a net positive +2, but that recovery proved short-lived. The latest survey shows support falling back to -12 in July, a 14-point swing in a single month.

The broader national trend has been more consistent. Trump's overall approval rating has remained underwater throughout 2026, moving from -16 in April to -22 in May, -21 in June and -22 again in July.

It suggests that rural voters still view Trump more favorably than the electorate as a whole.

However, the gap has narrowed sharply compared with the early months of his second term, and recent polling indicates those voters have become considerably more volatile than they were a year ago.

Rural Voters Still Rate Trump Better

The latest July survey also found that rural Americans continue to give Trump somewhat stronger marks on key policy issues than voters overall.

On the economy:

• Overall voters: 33 percent approve, 67 percent disapprove
• Rural voters: 37 percent approve, 63 percent disapprove

On inflation:

• Overall voters: 27 percent approve, 73 percent disapprove
• Rural voters: 30 percent approve, 68 percent disapprove

On immigration:

• Overall voters: 42 percent approve, 57 percent disapprove
• Rural voters: 48 percent approve, 52 percent disapprove

Those numbers show that rural voters remain somewhat more favorable toward the administration across major issues.

However, every issue tested still produced net negative ratings, including immigration, traditionally one of Trump's strongest policy areas.

Economy And Inflation Remain A Challenge

The issue breakdown underscores the extent to which economic concerns continue to weigh on the administration.

Just 33 percent of voters overall approve of Trump's handling of the economy, while approval on inflation is even lower at 27 percent.

Rural voters are somewhat less negative but still overwhelmingly dissatisfied. Only 37 percent approve of Trump's handling of the economy, while 30 percent approve of his handling of inflation.

Those findings are notable because economic concerns often carry particular weight in rural communities, where household budgets can be more sensitive to energy prices and agricultural input costs.

Iran Tensions Could Be A Factor

The latest deterioration also comes amid renewed military activity involving Iran. While the Fox News survey does not identify the cause of changing voter attitudes, the timing is notable.

Energy markets and fertilizer supply chains are particularly vulnerable to instability in the Middle East.

Farmers and rural communities tend to be more directly exposed to increases in diesel and fertilizer costs than many other groups because those inputs play a major role in agricultural production.

Concerns about prices and affordability have repeatedly appeared in polling throughout 2026. Whether the latest rural decline proves temporary or reflects deeper dissatisfaction remains unclear.

Six Midterm Races To Watch Where Rural Voters Could Matter

North Carolina Senate, Open Seat

Former Democratic Governor Roy Cooper and Republican Michael Whatley, a former Republican National Committee chair, are running for the seat being vacated by retiring Republican Senator Thom Tillis.

The race is one of the clearest Senate battlegrounds of 2026, with Democrats needing suburban strength around Raleigh and Charlotte to withstand Republican margins in rural parts of the state.

Iowa Senate, Open Seat

Republican Representative Ashley Hinson and Democratic state Representative Josh Turek are competing for the seat being vacated by retiring Republican Senator Joni Ernst.

In a heavily agricultural state, farm costs, trade and rural turnout could shape whether Democrats can make a Republican-leaning seat competitive.

Ohio Special Senate Election

Appointed Republican Senator Jon Husted is facing former Democratic Senator Sherrod Brown in the special election for the seat previously held by Vice President JD Vance.

Brown’s path depends on limiting Democratic losses in rural and working-class areas that have shifted toward Republicans, while Husted needs those voters to hold a seat central to GOP control of the Senate.

Maine Senate

Republican Senator Susan Collins is seeking a sixth term in one of Democrats’ top Senate pickup opportunities, with former Maine Senate President Troy Jackson becoming the Democratic nominee after oyster farmer Graham Platner withdrew from the race.

Jackson, a fifth-generation logger from northern Maine, was confirmed as the party's nominee through its delegate process at Saturday’s convention, making rural northern Maine and small-town independents central to the race.

Michigan Governor, Open Seat

With Democratic Governor Gretchen Whitmer term-limited, Michigan has one of the cycle’s most closely watched open governor’s races.

Democratic Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson and Republican Representative John James are among the high-profile candidates in a state where rural turnout in northern Michigan and the Upper Peninsula could help decide a close contest.

Wisconsin Governor, Open Seat

Wisconsin’s open governor’s race follows Democratic Governor Tony Evers’ decision not to seek another term.

Former Lieutenant Governor Mandela Barnes is among the Democratic contenders, while Republican Representative Tom Tiffany is the GOP front-runner; in a state known for razor-thin margins, Republican strength in rural western and northern Wisconsin could offset Democratic votes in Milwaukee and Madison.

What Comes Next

One poll alone cannot determine whether a lasting shift is underway. What the Fox News trend does show is considerable volatility.

That suggests sentiment within one of his strongest electoral constituencies remains highly fluid.

For Republicans looking toward the 2026 midterms, the key question is not whether rural America remains broadly Republican. It is whether voters who have historically formed the backbone of Trump's coalition remain enthusiastic enough to deliver the kinds of margins that have powered Republican victories in recent years.

Contact Newsweek editor on this story: Edward Pearcey.