President-elect Donald Trump has called for an investigation into an Iowa poll that he claims misled the public in the critical days before the 2024 election. A poll conducted by J. Ann Selzer and published by the Des Moines Register showed Kamala Harris ahead of Trump by three percentage points in the state, a stark contrast to the actual results where Trump won by 13 points.
The poll, released just days before Election Day, was portrayed as a shift in momentum for Harris, with Selzer suggesting that Harris had “leapt into a leading position” in Iowa. The prediction came as a surprise to many, given Iowa’s history of being a strong Republican state.
🚨 BREAKING: Trump calls for investigation into disgraced Iowa pollster Ann Selzer – who released a poll showing Harris winning the state by 3 points just before Election Day.
She was wrong by 16 – and is now "moving on" to other ventures.
TRUMP: "She knew exactly what she was… pic.twitter.com/FlQNIHrF0v
— Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) November 17, 2024
Trump did not take kindly to the poll’s findings. On Truth Social, he described it as a “totally Fake poll” that caused “great distrust and uncertainty at a very critical time.” He went on to accuse Selzer of intentionally misleading voters. “She knew exactly what she was doing,” Trump said, adding that the poll contributed to the growing uncertainty about the election’s outcome.
The president-elect thanked the people of Iowa for their overwhelming support despite what he called “possible election fraud” associated with the poll. Trump further demanded that Selzer and the Des Moines Register be investigated for their role in what he called “fake news.” His remarks raised questions about the integrity of the polling industry and its potential impact on public perception.
Trump slams pollster whose ‘totally fake poll’ showed Harris winning Iowa, calls for probe https://t.co/ns9tLcaJqQ pic.twitter.com/GWU7dh6sFT
— New York Post (@nypost) November 18, 2024
When asked by USA Today if Trump was calling for criminal charges against Selzer, a representative for Trump, Steven Cheung, affirmed the president’s stance, accusing Selzer of “beclowning herself” and misinforming the public for Harris’ benefit. Cheung’s comments reflected the broader frustration from Trump’s camp with the media and polling organizations that they believe misrepresented the true state of the race.
In response to the controversy, Selzer announced that she would be stepping away from election polling, citing the irony of the situation given her long history of accuracy. In an Op-Ed, she admitted her surprise at the results and expressed humility, acknowledging that polling is a “science of estimation” that can sometimes be off the mark. She released a detailed analysis to explain where her methods may have gone wrong but stood by her years of work in the industry.
