Wedgewood Polling Admits Fabricating Data in 2026 Midterm Races

Key points

• Wedgewood Polling admitted on October 21, 2026, that it fabricated polling data as an 'experimental project' to demonstrate the lack of oversight in the political polling industry.
• The firm's fake surveys were cited by major outlets, including The New York Times and Decision Desk HQ, which subsequently removed 15 and 17 polls, respectively, from their projections.
• The fabricated data negatively impacted the Michigan Senate primary, where candidate Mallory McMorrow reported that her donations dried up and reporters pressured her to drop out based on the false numbers.
• In Mississippi, Democrat Scott Colom's campaign used a fake Wedgewood poll to claim a tied race with incumbent Cindy Hyde-Smith, a tactic similar to a 2020 incident where a similar poll led to a 10% loss.
• Democratic strategist Mike Nellis called the actions 'fraud' and demanded prosecution, while Wedgewood claimed the stunt was a 'wake-up call' for media vetting standards.

Background

This scandal follows a similar incident in August 2026 involving a 21-year-old who ran a fake polling website, Median Strategies, in Los Angeles. It also echoes a September 2026 case where a Philadelphia educator admitted to fabricating identities for activism. Recent archive coverage noted that polling margins in key Senate races were narrow, making the integrity of data crucial for the November 3 elections.

How outlets are covering it

Fox News emphasized the fraudulent nature of the act, quoting Democratic strategist Mike Nellis who called the pollsters 'absolute scumbags' and urged prosecution. The Guardian highlighted the systemic failure of media vetting, noting that outlets like Newsweek and Breitbart published the fake data. Magnolia Tribune focused on the specific impact on the Mississippi Senate race, drawing parallels to a 2020 incident where a similar polling tactic misled voters. All sources agreed that the incident exposed a 'low barrier to entry' in the polling industry, but differed on the primary focus: Fox News on legal accountability, The Guardian on media responsibility, and Magnolia Tribune on electoral consequences.

Why it matters

The fabrication of polling data undermines public trust in election integrity and media reliability. It demonstrates how easily unverified data can influence campaign funding and voter perception, potentially altering the outcome of close races in the 2026 midterms.

What to watch

Major media outlets have removed Wedgewood's data from their projections. Independent outlet FiftyPlusOne is publishing its investigation into the firm's raw data. Legal and ethical debates over the prosecution of the pollsters and the future of media vetting standards are expected to intensify before the November 3 elections.