If so many "real" polls got it wrong in 2016, we should at least be open to looking at other survey methods, no matter how unconventional. For bakeries in the battleground states of Pennsylvania and Ohio, there is, so far, a clear front-runner in their cookie polls.
Let’s start with Lochel’s family owned-bakery in Hatboro, Pennsylvania, which has correctly predicted the last three elections (the owner has been doing the cookie poll for the past four election cycles).
Bakery owner Kathleen Lochel said the Trump cookies are flying off the shelves, outselling the Joe Biden cookies by a nearly 6 to 1 margin.
“We had one guy drive twice from Staten Island for them,” Lochel told FoxNews.com.
“We plan on tallying them up tomorrow night, to do our final tally,” she said on Monday morning. “But right now, Donald Trump is still in the lead… we’ve sold about 28,000 [Trump] cookies to 5,000 [of Biden’s].
She predicts by the end of Monday’s sales, the Trump cookies should “probably approach 29,000.”
“This is definitely by far the busiest we’ve ever been,” she added.
Eric Trump even touted the bakery last month.
Thank you Pennsylvania! We love you! ???????????? pic.twitter.com/qwoqpmt2JI
— Eric Trump (@EricTrump) October 30, 2020
The owner said the bakery will be creating a cookie celebrating the winner, no matter who it is.
“I think people just love that they’re participating in something,” she told FoxNews.com. “It brings people together, regardless of the Democrats or Republicans.”
Now, let's take a look at Ohio.
The Busken Bakery chain in the Cincinnati area has correctly predicted the presidential election winner since 1984 with their cookie poll.
This year’s treats have a red cookie with a caricature of Trump and a blue one with Biden.
The bakery said the final tally will be announced on Wednesday, but their last update on Monday showed Trump in the lead.
Polls close tomorrow night! We will be counting all the crumbs and announcing our final numbers in Wednesday morning! #VOTE @realDonaldTrump @JoeBiden pic.twitter.com/ztFgzAE1Cg
— Busken Bakery (@BuskenBakery) November 2, 2020
Update: I have been alerted to another cookie poll in Red Wing, Minnesota, at Hanish Bakery and Coffee Shop, which also has Trump in the lead, their latest update shows. According to the bakery, there are more than a dozen small businesses doing cookie polls across the country and only one has the Democratic presidential nominee ahead.
Here is your National Cookie Poll Updates as we head into the last day of Cookie Voting. The accuracy of these cookie...
Posted by Hanisch Bakery and Coffee Shop on Monday, November 2, 2020
"Well Folks, What a Ride it has been," the bakery posted Saturday. "We started our Cookie Poll on August 1st and now Tuesday November 3rd will be the Last Day to Cast your Cookie Poll Vote!!!"
The post continued: "Donald J. Trump has a huuuuuuuuge lead over Joe Biden Since 1984 The Cookie Poll has been a tradition here at our bakery, and yes it has been very accurate in predicting which person has won the popular vote. Remember though 5 times in our history the popular vote hasn't won the election. Will 2020 be one of those years??? Will the cookie poll keep the streak alive??? Will President Trump hit over 13k Votes??? We will all see on Tuesday November 3rd, 2020."
