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Paradox of the Polls

Posted on Tuesday, September 27, 2022
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Polls

AMAC Exclusive – By Barry Casselman

It is now the home stretch of the 2022 national midterm election cycle, and speculation is all over the political map about who will win and what each major party might gain or lose at the federal level and in the various states with elections this year.

There are, of course, no precise tools to aid in this speculation, but there are inexact devices on which most speculation is based. These include historical patterns and precedents, media accounts, the dollar numbers of campaign money raised, the volume of ad buys paid for by that fundraising, subjective analyses of candidate debate performance, turnout at candidate events, quality and effectiveness of arguments — and, most of all, campaign polls.

The contemporary problem with polling, however, is its recent track record of wrongly predicting outcomes. Some of this is the result of pollster bias, bad judgment, poor procedures or even deliberate falsification. But one other major reason for this defect is that, as public opinion polling has evolved over the past nine decades, the statistical accuracy of polling voters has been compromised by a growing reluctance of voters to participate in polls — causing pollsters to make more random contacts, thus increasing the margin of error in the poll. Traditional dependence on phone contact for the polls has skewed accuracy since many voters no longer have land lines. Many pollsters also ask long lists of questions that require voters to spend too much of their time taking the poll, causing incomplete polling sessions or attracting only the most politically engaged to complete to questionnaire.

Yet polls remain the principal tool for most media pundits and publications to speculate about competitive races and how well or poorly candidates might do when all the votes are counted. Individual campaign donors and independent PACs, as well as local, state, and national parties, often depend on this speculation that is based on the polls for where to direct their political ad buying and other campaign assistance — so erroneous polls can have a serious impact on a candidacy, especially for challenges to incumbents who are usually well-funded.

A case in point is the key race for Minnesota governor, pitting incumbent Democrat (DFLer) Tim Walz against Republican physician Scott Jensen. Minnesota has been a reliably blue (liberal) state for some time, and Walz was an early favorite. But polls showed him under 50% and only a few points ahead of Jensen. Then a poll appeared in early September from a major polling group showing Walz leading 51%-33%. Labeled an “outlier” by Jensen partisans, it nevertheless depressed the challenger’s fundraising, already smaller than his incumbent opponent’s, until two new public polls were reported, one showing the race at 48% to 41%, and another showing Walz leading 46% to 43% (within the poll’s margin of error). The latter poll was by Trafalgar Group, considered one of the most accurate of all pollsters, and the race now goes into its final days rated as a toss-up.

The apparent undermeasuring of likely Republican voters in the purported outlier poll above is not, however, an isolated case. Since 2016, and even before, many establishment pollsters have underweighted Republicans in their samples. The 2016 and 2020 presidential cycles were most notable for this, as were the two gubernatorial elections (Virginia and New Jersey) in the 2021 off-year cycle.

This practice seemed to be persisting in the 2022 mid-term cycle when a number of gubernatorial and U.S. Senate polls suddenly were reported with double digit or otherwise large leads for Democratic candidates in several major races — feeding a new narrative that an earlier anticipated red (conservative) wave likely in 2022 was not occurring. After Labor Day, however, the same polls often became considerably tighter or even reversed. Pollsters such as Trafalgar Group have consistently tried to avoid undermeasuring likely Republican voters, and have consistently indicated that competitive races are indeed still competitive.

Another case in point is the Pennsylvania U.S. Senate race, where Democratic Lt. Governor John Fetterman defeated a more moderate figure for his party’s nomination while celebrity physician Mehmet Oz narrowly won the GOP nomination against an establishment Republican. Although Fetterman had suffered a heart attack and stroke during the primary campaign, and was absent from active campaigning, he ran TV ads against Oz while the physician crisscrossed the state, meeting voters and speaking to groups. Because President Biden’s energy policies had made him and his Democratic administration unpopular in the state, especially in western Pennsylvania, this race to fill the seat of retiring Republican Pat Toomey had always been considered a likely toss-up, yet polls after the primary showed Fetterman winning by double digits. But Fetterman’s campaign has now seemed to implode, and new polls now show the race to be very close.

Similar examples include the U.S. Senate races in Ohio, Wisconsin, North Carolina, Florida, Arizona, and Nevada, where many major polls showed Republicans, both incumbents and challengers, doing poorly, but which now report numbers showing these races much more competitive.

In 2010, as a challenger, and in 2016, as an incumbent, polls just before the election showed Republican Ron Johnson trailing his opponent, but he won both races. Similarly, Florida Republican Marco Rubio was reported behind in 2010 and 2016, yet he too won both times.

It is generally conceded that polls of simply adults or even registered voters are likely to be misleading. Only those carefully determined to be likely voters should be included in a good poll — and a sample of 1,000 or more is likewise necessary. Polls that arbitrarily weight their raw data by predicting the percentage turnout of a major party and independent voters risk skewing their results. The same is true of arbitrarily adjusting raw data by gender.

The bottom line is that polls are often more speculative than they purport to be. Because of procedures mentioned above, margins of error are really larger, sometimes much larger, than advertised.

Using a phrase normally applied to other human institutions, polls are something we can’t quite live with, but can’t live without.

In a key cycle such as the 2022 midterms, there are lots of expectations, but no matter what pundits and pollsters say, there remains a true sense of suspense until the ballots are counted.

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Ty
Ty
1 year ago

The past still defines our future. Here is a statement from the past:”I’ve never met a horse theif that wasn’t a democrate, but not all democrates are horse theifs.”If we actually learn from the past then we can easily change the group name from democrate to socialist and prove that we can learn from the past and easily identify the wolf in sheep’s clothing!

Tom
Tom
1 year ago

Let us not be distracted by media while they help cheat the Govt of,by and for the people. I for one , if the Republicans can take one or both house, will be quiet and reserved. The less people know about how I vote the better while I am pushing hard for our country and constitution. Please remember Democrats are just Americans misdirected and Blindfolded trying to make our life’s better. They think that they are helping and we are misdirected by the media while we see they are the problem. May God bless America and guide her thru this horrific time.

rebel jtown
rebel jtown
1 year ago

How crazy that the stars on the elephant are pointing down symbolizing the devel !!!! No wonder the demoralizing of the republican party. Always remember this is not a democracy.

David Shingledecker
David Shingledecker
1 year ago

The only poll that matters because it’s always 100% correct is the one taken on election day.

David
David
1 year ago

With what I have heard and seen of Brandon I fail to understand how he could win an honest election!

Jeanine
Jeanine
1 year ago

This does not have anything to do specifically with polling, but I remember voting between about 32 to 45 years ago. A few times when I voted I had to not only show my ID (drivers license), I also had to show proof of residency (for the location at which I was voting). Neither did I nor anyone in our district ever ever complain of “discrimination” or any other false “feelings” because these things were required. Maybe it was not a universal voting policy but it should have been, still should be.

JerryH
JerryH
1 year ago

The polls have become meaningless tools that are used mainly to dissuade voters from voting. The numbers are far from accurate even if the election itself is free from corruption (which we know is not always the case). The key line on polling accuracy in this article is the statement that most people no longer have land lines. Without wired land line connections, it is next to impossible to get a true random sample. Many people keep the same cell phone number regardless of where they currently live, thus negating any possibility of identifying a respondent’s location using an area code. Moreover, I doubt the accuracy of people’s statements about party affiliation or any other information they may provide the pollster. The only poll that matters is the one taken on election, and even that can no longer be trusted since the numbers are so easily manipulated by bogus mail in voting and other subterfuge.

KDESQ
KDESQ
1 year ago

Assuming they actually count the ballots as voted and not use their predetermined % as the bottom line. The tallying machines are just as horrible as the voting machines.

Mario Capparuccini
Mario Capparuccini
1 year ago

I hope and pray that Republicans trounce the party of Satan. I do not understand why anyone wants to vote Democratic. Foreign policy debacles, soaring inflation, a weaponized IRS & FBI, exceedingly divisive speech, soaring crime, and an open border over which fentanyl is pouring are plenty of reasons to soundly reject the Democrats. Yet, 40% of those polled say Uncle Joe is doing fine. Perhaps we are doomed. Perhaps I should sleep in my clothes unless the Gestapo, er, the FBI, comes at 2:00 AM for me.

Corbin L Douthitt
Corbin L Douthitt
1 year ago

Polls will give you the result you ask to get. one can set the questions to get the answers desired AND you can set the sample of people to guarantee the results. IMHO most polls are Democrat to begin with- they stack dems 50D-40R-10Ind.The idea is to promote the agenda and prime the public that the Dems are winning. Also, the Dems need to ‘feel’ that they are winning or they won’t turn out. Just like elections, Dems stack the deck on polls. they lie. they lie to everyone. They lie to themselves, If they told the truth they wouldn’t get 15% of the votes.

Myrna Wade
Myrna Wade
1 year ago

Polls will not correctly report my plans to vote. I am among the voters who are protecting my position, keeping my opinions to myself out of fear. I trust AMAC to keep what I say private, but freedom has been set back.

anna hubert
anna hubert
1 year ago

RINOS and democrats motto is let’s make a deal

Jeb
Jeb
1 year ago

It is known that people lie and give mocking answers to polls just to dance in their poop.

Chuck
Chuck
1 year ago

A recent poll shows that people tell the truth when they answer polls, unless they decide to lie.:) FJB!

Pam Chitwood
Pam Chitwood
1 year ago

I do believe that the democrat powerful are snakes. They lie cheat and steal to keep power. We have been pushed into corners by the media. The media had caused a great deal of stress to this country and the people. Ratings money power grabbing for the minds of the country to push us a certain way. I can not believe the way the media covers for Democrats. Don’t report things and cover up for them. We need the truth.

Charles
Charles
1 year ago

A national voter registration needs to happen – photo ID & finger print for every citizen . Serial Numbered mail – in votes to tally with the ledger , All voter ledgers checked by an outside source . Voter tally checked & double checked by an independent watchdog organization . Problem is you first have to locate an honest company. If anyone votes for the present administration you should be ashamed of yourself . Our ancestors fought & died for AMERICA “s Freedom & I for one will not disrespect my ancestors. GOD BLESS AMERICA — ONE NATION UNDER GOD — LAND OF THE FREE BECAUSE OF THE BRAVE

J. Farley
J. Farley
1 year ago

I hold no speculation on who might win, I live in fear up until the polls close that the RINO’s will screw everything up and what give away’s the Democrats will come up with and how close the polls are watched to prevent fraud. I no longer have faith in the election process as the process is in shambles, we have an election time period that lasts for a month or more that gives too much time to slip a few extra ballots in here and there. If you believe anything that the Democrats tell you, your brain is equivalent to Dead Beat Joe Bidens.
Vote for Republicans if Democrats win, they will Gut the Constitution, it will be Liberty Lost!

Steve G
Steve G
1 year ago

The biggest issue is the cheating going on by the demoncrats, like paying off those counting the votes, big tech hacking the voting machines, Soros spending millions to buy votes to destroy America, plus other ways that the demoncrats lie & cheat to stay in power. They are an evil group that needs to be eradicated from the planet!!!!!!!

James Thompson
James Thompson
1 year ago

I’ve stopped taking polls and showing support for any Republican. I don’t donate or comment. I can’t believe I’m commenting now. I fear retribution from the left. I don’t fear them,I fear my response.

PaulE
PaulE
1 year ago

The only poll that matters is the one conducted on election day by the people voting. Everything else is basically media spin done ahead of time to try and persuade voters one way or the other. I expect those counting the votes will again do their best to try and tally the votes in favor of the Democrat candidates wherever possible. Little has been done nation-wide to restore the voting system to the more secure pre-2020 standards. So it will be interesting to see how many “surprises” we get election night.

tofbs
tofbs
1 year ago

DEMORATS ARE LYING CHEATING LUNITICS. WHY WOULD ANYBODY BELIVE THEIR JOSEPH
GOEBBELS WANNABE PROPAGANDA. LETS GO BRANDON

Timothy Yorgan
Timothy Yorgan
1 year ago

I don’t believe a single poll and have never seen them as a voting aid, but rather a political tool with the intention of voter manipulation. It’s become very ugly over the years because unfortunately political campaigns are no longer run by the merits of the candidate or the issues involved, but by who has the bucks. Some polls only show who’s raised more money and sway the percentage of lazy and uninvolved voters who instinctively will want to vote for who’s perceived as a winner in the polls and elect someone who will not defend the constitution. When it comes right down to it…what value do polls really have besides influencing the ignorant?

BACKWOODS
BACKWOODS
1 year ago

Polls are a joke

Patriot Bill
Patriot Bill
1 year ago

Do you really think, with the country as divided, by socialists, as it was before the civil war, that answering dumb pollster questions is going to reveal anything?
I for one always give the media anything but truth.

Philip Hammersley
Philip Hammersley
1 year ago

“Polls” are in collusion with the DIMMs for the most part. Just like the Fibbies told media false facts and media printed them allowing Fibbies to then get search warrants, the “pollsters” run phony polls which suppress both money and voters for Republican candidates! There are only one or two pollsters who get reliable numbers!

Boz
Boz
1 year ago

Chill, Peeps, Dominion’s got this. Nothing was done about 2020, you think they just went away? No. They will double down!

A Voter
A Voter
1 year ago

Pols are a means to sway our opinions, not tell us what is likely to happen. They are frequently used by the left to encourage opposition to not vote because see? it is a lost cause for you to waste your time voting.

Stephen Russell
Stephen Russell
1 year ago

Not among General public
Take lots of “polls” online cant tell which goes to major issues
Limited polling seen
rigged data used

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