Johnson insists fake poll scandal proof that 'polls are wrong'

House Speaker Mike Johnson on Wednesday insisted that bombshell revelations that an upstart polling company fabricated its data were proof that surveys showing a strong Democratic lead in the midterms were inaccurate.

Wedgewood Polls issued a statement this week confirming that it had released fake polling data throughout the election cycle. The organization said it was a social experiment to test whether news outlets would verify data from an unknown pollster. Wedgewood Polls featured in polling aggregators like the New York Times, FiftyPlusOne, and others.

"I’ve been sounding the alarms that the polls are WRONG—and new evidence of that is now piling up!

Polling organizations are being forced to admit they are dramatically under-sampling Republican support, but the media is delighted to use it all to depress GOP turnout," Johnson posted on X. "We can’t let that happen!

Today, the Wedgewood scandal—where they’ve admitted it was “far too easy” to produce and spread completely fake polling data—adds an even darker element with enormous implications."

While Republicans have long criticized the methodologies of pollsters, the Wedgewood scandal appears unique. The organization's statement currently features a community note on X, highlighting that it only released the statement claiming to be an "experimental project" after FiftyPlusOne reached out to corroborate their data.

Wedgewood released one poll it said was "legitimate," based on a Nebraska race. 

"Ignore the polls, and go vote! We have 13 days to save America!" Johnson concluded.

Ben Whedon is the Chief Political Correspondent at Just the News. Follow him on X.