Politics

Pollster Wedgewood Polling admits fabricating survey numbers in experimental project

Fox News reports that Wedgewood Polling admitted using fabricated numbers, prompting sharp criticism from Democratic strategists.

Updated Oct 22, 2026 · 00:10 UTC4 reports

The short version

Wedgewood Polling admitted using fabricated numbers, calling the work an experimental project to expose polling weaknesses.[Fox News]
The New York Times removed 15 Wedgewood polls, and Decision Desk HQ removed 17 from its projections.[Fox News]
Michigan state Sen. Mallory McMorrow said the numbers coincided with donations drying up, while a Democratic strategist alleged fraud.[Fox News]
FiftyPlusOne co-founder G. Elliott Morris said his outlet was investigating the firm before its admission, and critics contest the experiment explanation.[Fox News]

Wedgewood Polling admitted in a Tuesday-night statement to using fabricated numbers for an experimental project.[Fox News]
The New York Times removed 15 Wedgewood polls released between June and October.[Fox News]
Decision Desk HQ removed 17 Wedgewood polls from its projections.[Fox News]
Michigan state Sen. Mallory McMorrow said Wedgewood's numbers coincided with her donations drying up and reporters pressing her to drop out.[Fox News]
Democratic strategist Mike Nellis told Fox News Digital that the people responsible committed fraud.[Fox News]
FiftyPlusOne co-founder G. Elliott Morris said his outlet was investigating Wedgewood for faked data and had emailed the firm for comment before publishing findings.[Fox News]

The firm's claim that the fabrication was an experiment to expose polling weaknesses is disputed, and the fraud characterization is an allegation by a strategist.[Fox News]
The findings of FiftyPlusOne's investigation had not yet been published at the time of reporting, so their content is unknown.[Fox News]

Outlet counts describe coverage, not independent confirmation. Reports may share a wire service or original source.