President Donald Trump’s re-election campaign manager, Bill Stepien, is weighing in with his concerns about the methodology used to determine poll results.
On Thursday morning’s segment of “Fox & Friends,” co-host Brian Kilmeade noted that Fox News’ latest poll projects Trump trailing Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden among “likely voters” in three key battleground states: Arizona, North Carolina, and Wisconsin.
Despite Fox News’ poll signaling trouble for Trump campaign, Kilmeade said a recent Monmouth poll signals a “consistent gain” for Trump in Pennsylvania. The president is now trailing by only 4 points as opposed to the previous 13-point deficit.
When asked if the polls are different compared to the information he looks at, Stepien immediately expressed his disapproval as he said, “Very different. I love Fox News, I love you guys. I don’t love your polls.”
Fox host Steve Doocy went on to ask, “What don’t you like about it?”
Stepien claimed “the methodology is a little askew” as he insisted the poll consisted of 48% Democratic voters.
He said, “Twenty-eight percent of those who voted in 2016 were Democrats. The Arizona poll that you’re citing includes 48% Democrats. So, the methodology is a little askew.”
As he noted Biden’s upcoming trip to Arizona, Stepien said, “Look, here’s the fact: If Joe Biden is actually winning by 9 in Arizona, he wouldn’t be visiting Arizona later next week.”
See Stepien’s remarks below (starting at 36:50):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MnfJexL0U4I
Stepien’s latest remarks come amid Trump’s ongoing criticism and scrutiny of poll results. On multiple occasions, the president has tweeted to blast networks that have insisted he is trailing Biden.
Just as he has referred to multiple news outlets as “fake news,” Trump has also categorized several poll results as “fake polls.”
https://twitter.com/realdonaldtrump/status/1150779375358480390?lang=en
https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1269974605059555328
Shortly after Stepien’s appearance on Fox News, Trump posted a series of tweets as he sounded off about the same poll.
“[Fox News] Polls are, as in the past, Fake News,” Trump tweeted. “They have been from the beginning, way off in 2016. Get a new pollster. I believe we are leading BIG!”
Trump added, “Do you notice that any time Fake News Suppression Polls are put out, like [Fox News], the Stock Market goes DOWN. We are going to WIN!”
https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1301538617005875201
https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1301540878381703168
Election Day is set for November 3, 2020.
