J. Ann Selzer, the pollster involved in the controversial survey that inaccurately forecasted Iowa would favor Democrats in the 2024 election, is addressing allegations that she manipulated her polling data. The poll, sponsored by the Des Moines Register, suggested Vice President Kamala Harris was leading President-elect Donald J. Trump by three points in the predominantly Republican state. Ultimately, Trump secured Iowa by over 13 points.
In a recent interview on PBS’s Iowa Press, Selzer dismissed allegations that she manipulated data intentionally. “I’m mystified about what motivation anyone thinks I had to act unethically in such a public poll,” Selzer remarked. Despite this, she expressed concern over the seriousness of the accusations, noting, “They’re saying this was election interference, which is a crime.”
Some critics have insinuated that Selzer colluded with or was influenced by external parties to skew the poll results. Meanwhile, President-elect Trump blasted the survey in a post on Truth Social in mid-November.
“A totally Fake poll that caused great distrust and uncertainty at a very critical time,” Trump wrote, continuing: “She knew exactly what she was doing.”
“Thank you to the GREAT PEOPLE OF IOWA for giving me such a record breaking vote, despite possible ELECTION FRAUD by Ann Selzer and the now discredited ‘newspaper’ for which she works. An investigation is fully called for!” he added.
Selzer accurately forecasted the outcomes of the 2016 and 2020 presidential races and the margin of Barack Obama’s 2012 win. When asked about her methodology’s failure in this election, Selzer stated, “I wish I knew the answer… The reality is that more Trump supporters turned out.” She awaits further data from the Iowa Secretary of State.
Two weeks after the election, Selzer announced she was retiring from polling.
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