The Washington Post just gave Republicans another reason not to take some of the midterm polls too seriously.
In an article published Friday, the Post acknowledged that it has struggled to get Republicans to respond to a Washington Post-George Mason University survey, particularly in Kansas and Maine. In Kansas in particular, the Post reported, Democrats responded at nearly three times the rate of Republicans.
🚨 JUST NOW: The Washington Post says they are struggling to get Republicans to answer their polls in states like Kansas and Maine In Kansas, Dems responded to polls at nearly triple the rate as Republicans Imagine that. Vote red and shock them all! https://t.co/bOVNvsRTxp
— Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) October 30, 2026
According to the Washington Post, after 85,000 phone calls and nearly 50,000 text messages, 32 percent of Democrats reached completed the survey, compared with just 12 percent of Republicans. That gap adds to concerns that Republicans may be underrepresented in the polling. While the Post’s report focused primarily on Kansas, it wouldn’t be surprising to see the same pattern elsewhere. Whether that translates into stronger Republican results than the polls suggest, though, won’t be clear until Election Day.
“After more than 85,000 phone calls and nearly 50,000 text messages, a potential problem emerged. Democrats were far more enthusiastic about taking the poll than Republicans were.” https://t.co/EPlPnkxcOc https://t.co/LUqnMgbknk
— Alex Thompson (@AlexThomp) October 30, 2026
That doesn’t mean Republicans should start preparing for a red wave. It does give them another reason to question whether the polls tell the whole story. Polling has had a rough couple of cycles, and three firms admitting to publishing false data as part of “social experiment” just in the past couple of months hardly helps their credibility. Add in recent elections in which polls underestimated Republican support, and voters have good reason not to treat the latest numbers as the final word.
But even a questionable poll can do real damage if it convinces voters their candidate has already lost and there’s no point in showing up. As Republican Steve Hilton in California and TPUSA’s Andrew Kolvet have argued, polling is one thing; turnout is another. A candidate can outperform every poll and still lose if their opponents' supporter turnout.
Republicans shouldn’t see the Washington Post’s report as a promise of victory, but they should read it as more of a reason to get out and vote. Don’t let the polls decide the midterms before a single vote is counted. Show up, vote, and let Election Day have the final say.