The Contrarian

BREAKING: Preliminary injunction granted in the golf course case by Judge Reyes! The threat to close & destroy this historic property is the latest act of Trump corruption that the courts have responded to Kudos to our wonderful clients & cocounsel @democracyforward.org & Lowell & Associates

Did you know: Contrarian members help fund these legal wins for democracy and election security! ➡️ Subscribe now: contrariannews.org/subscribe

BREAKING: the 9th Circuit REJECTED the DOJ’s desperate attempt to prevent 20,000 votes from being counted in CA Tomorrow, @democracydefendersfund.org @campaignlegal.org NAACP & @lulacorg.bsky.social address the merits head-on in District Court This is a major win for voters in CA & everywhere! -TN

BREAKING NEWS: The 9th circuit has ruled to DISMISS the DOJ’s effort to remove 20,000 ballots from California’s voter rolls. The decision was 2-1. This win sends a message to the DOJ: In America, leaders don’t get to pick their voters. Voters pick our leaders.

Does your county have an extra-cool “I voted” sticker? We want to see it! Tag us in your voting pics, reply to this thread, or email them to info@contrariannews.org for a chance to be featured by The Contrarian! Let us know where you’re voting, too! Selfies and group pics are more than welcome :)

Carrying the Weight — A cartoon by Michael de Adder

A blue wave doesn’t mean Democrats can take their foot off the gas. The real challenge begins after the wins, when it’s time to walk the walk and show voters that the Democratic Party is more than just the “lesser of two evils.” Lavora Barnes writes more:

Good day for democracy: Brazilian President Luiz Lula just secured a historic 4th term win against his far-right opponent. Over 128 million Brazilians voted Sunday, vs. 125 million in the first round of elections. More in Jen's jolt: https://www.contrariannews.org/p/a-banner-day-for-democracy

Last week, the Public Religion Research Institute (PRRI) released its 17th Annual American Values Survey. Apparent in the Survey’s findings was an empathy gap between Democrats and Republicans. President of @prri.org, @robertpjones.bsky.social joins Jen to break it down.

The 2028 presidential race has quietly begun.

T-8 days until midterms: Trump is heading to Mississippi in a last-ditch effort to hold on to the voters he has left. @anthonycoley.bsky.social

According to the Election Lab at the University of Florida, some 28 million people have already cast ballots. The flood of early voting is itself an expression of democratic determination to thwart the Trump regime’s efforts to discredit mail-in voting and to intimidate voters.

In Brazil, incumbent Lula has won reelection, defeating conservative challenger Bolsonaro. In Serbia, longtime leader Vučić has conceded defeat to a student-led protest movement. @rweingarten.bsky.social is joining @jenrubin.bsky.social LIVE at 9:15am ET to discuss Join us at contrariannews.org

What's causing the DOJ freakout? Maybe it's the early vote Texas early voting is up 74% from 2022 & Kansas has more than doubled And DDF has a dozen+ national law firms ready w/ complaints drafted How ready we are, in this week's publisher's note 👇 -TN

The Trump DOJ just filed a baseless lawsuit in Alaska because there’s another candidate whose name is too similar to the name of the candidate that they like. Trump is panicking, who’s shocked? @normeisen.bsky.social @democracydefendersaction.org

HASC Ranking Member @adamsmith.house.gov talks with Jen Rubin at @contrariannews.org about the vast number of possibilities for oversight in the House Armed Services Committee in the coming Congress, including "all the illegal activities ... but stopping the Iran war would be job one."

Don’t let doubt dissuade you from voting. The law is on your side. Learn your voting rights so you can vote with confidence:

The Cook Political Report just moved 19 houses away from the GOP, bringing 220 seats into the category of “Solid, Likely or Lean Democrat.” Read the latest midterm from @jenrubin.bsky.social: https://www.contrariannews.org/p/the-depravity-of-epsteins-pal-and

Wisconsin! You’re not just voting for your governor! You’re voting for who your governor works for … is it you? In Wisconsin you can vote early now! Make a plan at vote.org @davidcrowley4wi.bsky.social

not only do I never see video of men asking the difficult questions, I never see the men defending the women - professional peers - he abuses and I don’t expect them to protect the Black women, but they aren’t even protecting the non-Black women (today’s victim was Monica Alba). cowards all.

Tom the Dancing Bug - The Trumps By Ruben Bolling

A new analysis shows early in-person voting among Black Georgians is up 33% compared with the first nine days of voting in 2022, while turnout among voters under 30 has jumped 54%. Among young Black voters, the increase is an eye-popping 80%. #gapol www.ajc.com/politics/202...

If Dems score a huge victory on November 3rd, there will be no shortage of individuals and groups claiming credit. But let's remember that social and political progress in American history, from emancipation to civil rights to labor rights, always comes from the bottom up, not the top down.

In the midterms, voters will select 36 governors, 87 other top statewide officials, 35 U.S. senators, 435 House members, over 6100 state legislators, and thousands of local officials. They will decide over 140 statewide ballot measures. As of yesterday, over 20M people had already cast ballots.

Meta suspending No Kings during the height of protests is just the tip of the iceberg.

Nearly 20 million Americans have already voted! And the DOJ is FREAKING out! Don’t fret - Norm is taking them to court… @democracydefendersaction.org @normeisen.bsky.social

April Ryan is LIVE on The Tea with a fun special guest! They’re chatting the midterms, Trump’s latest meltdowns, and more Tune in: open.substack.com/live-stream/...

Voting shouldn’t feel like a chore. @whenweallvote.bsky.social is kicking off its “Party at the Polls” events across the country — local celebrations filled with music and food, designed to energize voters and bring communities together to vote. 🎉🎉

A Bolsonaro victory would not automatically bring Brazil into the Shield of the Americas, but it would bring one of the hemisphere’s most consequential countries considerably closer to Trump’s political orbit Roberto Valadéz writes about the importance of Brazil’s presidential election:

Voter apathy IS a form of voter intimidation. Don’t sit this election out.

Trump’s erratic behavior has somehow gotten even worse — and it’s on full display. April will be joined by MS NOW political analyst, @anthonycoley.bsky.social to discuss the latest midterms news and more. Watch live at 5:30 pm: open.substack.com/live-stream/...

A Contrarian producer went to a Trump rally in northern Kentucky. Here are the conversations he had before he was asked to leave.

There’s no defending Vivek Ramaswamy’s disgraceful ad against Amy Acton, and even (some) Republicans are realizing it. Read Jen’s Jolt for more: https://www.contrariannews.org/p/another-reason-to-put-a-check-on @Jenrubin.bsky.social

Trump’s Bargaining Table - A cartoon by Nick Anderson

The president made $2.2 billion in 2025 alone while Americans struggle to afford groceries and gas It’s about time that we elect a congress that refuses to let this happen. @commoncause.org has a plan:

In the run-up to the midterms, it seems to be slowly dawning on some of the MAGA crowd that their abusive conduct has lit a fire under the Resistance, and that a reckoning is coming.

Why are Democrats doing so well? Political strategist, Simon Rosenberg is joining Jen and Norm for Coffee with Contrarians to discuss this + all things midterms. Tune in LIVE at 9:15am ET this morning at contrariannews.org @jenrubin.bsky.social @normeisen.bsky.social @simonwdc.bsky.social

“The people trying to make voting harder are counting on confusion to do some of their work for them. Let’s give them something else to worry about: an electorate that knows its rights, knows the facts, and shows up.” More about maintaining our right to vote with confidence:

LIVE TOMORROW MORNING: political strategist, Simon Rosenberg is joining Jen and Norm tomorrow at 9:15 am ET at contrariannews.org to discuss all the latest news + politics. @normeisen.bsky.social @jenrubin.bsky.social @simonwdc.bsky.social

T-13 days until midterms! Go! Vote with confidence! Bring all your energy and excitement to the ballot box! 🗳️ @normeisen.bsky.social @democracydefendersaction.org