Trump allies recast weak midterm polls as a turnout plot
Donald Trump and prominent MAGA figures have called negative polling fake or a “psyop” as Democrats lead in some Senate races and Republicans spend in contests once considered safe.
Donald Trump and prominent election deniers are dismissing poor Republican midterm polling as fabricated or part of a campaign to suppress conservative turnout. The claims come as polls show Trump’s approval at historic lows and Democrats leading in Senate races in some states he won easily in 2024.
WIRED reported that Heritage Foundation president Kevin Roberts described midterm polling as a “psyop” intended to depress conservative turnout. Steve Bannon and several MAGA influencers have also called the polls fake or a plot to keep Republican voters at home.
Trump has repeatedly made similar claims. WIRED cited a Media Matters for America analysis counting 39 times he has called polls fake since returning to the White House, including nine times in August. Trump dismissed negative Iowa polling on Monday, saying: “The polls are fake.”
The polling claims are part of a wider pattern of election denial. WIRED reports that hundreds of Republican candidates for November’s federal and statewide elections have expressed doubts about US election integrity. Trump has alleged election fraud for more than a decade, without evidence.
The electoral picture remains uncertain. WIRED cited Reuters reporting that Republicans are putting money into dozens of races they had considered safe. The source did not provide polling figures, field dates or sample sizes.
