Fake Polls Infiltrate Major Databases Before Researchers Expose Fabricated Data

Wedgewood Polling's fabricated survey figures entered major political polling databases and surfaced in news coverage before researchers at FiftyPlusOne confronted the firm about its data. After that exchange, the firm described itself as "an experimental project" designed to show "the vulnerabilities, lack of oversight, and overall low barrier to entry" in political polling, according to Newsweek.

The New York Times said it removed 15 Wedgewood polls from its records. Wedgewood's statement claimed the firm "was added to major polling aggregators.. and repeatedly treated as a legitimate data source." The firm's numbers had been picked up by databases including the New York Times, VoteHub, and FiftyPlusOne.

Tony Katz read Wedgewood's statement on 93.1 WIBC, then addressed the question he said he hears about his own skepticism: "Tony, why don't you believe the polls? Well, there you go." Katz's own guidance on the air: "Never believe just one poll and don't buy in."

Katz pointed to Georgia and Ohio as races that tell a clearer story, said he believes Republicans take the Senate, and did not rule out that they hold the House. In Indiana, Katz said the Secretary of State race "is closer than Republicans would want it to be," though he does not see Republican turnout falling short enough to hand Beau Bayh the win. Katz also said Republicans "should have worked harder earlier."