Overview
- Citing Monday's Reuters/Ipsos poll, registered voters favored Democrats 47% to Republicans 36% on the generic congressional ballot in the latest survey.
- Speaker Mike Johnson told Fox News he rejects those numbers, accusing recently exposed firms of producing fraudulent results and arguing that many Republicans refuse to take polls.
- Johnson used the phrase partisan nonresponse bias to explain the gap, meaning pollsters may undercount voters from one party because those people are less likely to answer surveys.
- Reporters note a contrast between Johnson's public dismissal of the polls and private GOP concern, with party operatives reportedly preparing for significant midterm losses.
- Polling methodology and early voting will be watched closely next week because they are the concrete measures that can confirm or refute the current generic-ballot leads.