Sen. J.D. Vance of Ohio has rejected polls that show Vice President Kamala Harris leading nationally and in key battleground states, arguing that the same polls in 2016 and 2020 were inaccurate.
“Pols have a tendency to grossly overestimate Democrats, and we certainly saw that in the summer of 2020 and again in the summer of 2016. And then, of course, come Election Day, a lot of those polls were wrong,” Vance said during an appearance on “Fox News Sunday.”
The comments came after Fox News reporter Shannon Bream told Vance about a recent New York Times poll that showed Harris leading former President Trump in Arizona and North Carolina, and “significantly” closing Trump’s lead in Georgia and Nevada.
Trump’s running mate Vance aims to flip Democratic states to Republicans
Republican vice presidential nominee Senator J.D. Vance speaks at a campaign event in Henderson, Nevada on July 30, 2024. (AP Photo/Ellen Schmidt)
“Certainly, Kamala Harris was on fire a few weeks ago, but what we’re actually seeing from our internal data is that she’s already calmed down,” Vance said. “When you talk to people in the Kamala Harris campaign, they’re very concerned about where they are, because the American people have no faith in the idea that Kamala Harris, who’s been vice president for three and a half years, is going to tackle the inflation crisis tomorrow in a completely different way than she’s done for the last 1,300 days.”
After an ABC News/Washington Post poll showed Harris leading Trump nationally by 4 to 5 points, Vance argued that the same polls had been off in past elections.
“I think there are a lot of polls out there that show her approval rating has stagnated and plateaued,” Vance said, “and the ABC/Washington Post poll in the summer of 2020 was wildly inaccurate.”
Vice President Kamala Harris speaks at the Prime Osborn Convention Center in Jacksonville, Florida on May 1, 2024. (Joe Raedl/Getty Images)
Since Waltz joined the party, Trump has been asked 81 questions in press conferences and interviews, compared with Harris’ 14.
Harris first surpassed Trump on Aug. 5 and has since widened her lead to 1.4 points, according to the Real Clear Politics polling average.
Polling averages show Harris with slight leads in the battleground states of Arizona, Wisconsin and Michigan, while Trump has slight leads in Nevada, North Carolina and Georgia, while Pennsylvania is currently tied, according to a Real Clear Politics polling average.
Still, Vance argued that the Trump campaign cannot afford to worry about the polls, but rather must continue to work on getting its message out.
Former President Trump raises his fist after speaking at a campaign rally in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, on August 17, 2024. (Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images)
Click here to get the FOX News app
“Looking at the numbers that we’re seeing and actually talking to the American people gives me confidence that we’re moving in the right direction come November,” Vance said. “We can’t worry about the polls. We have to drive across the finish line and urge everyone to get out and vote.”
