Rand Paul: Polls showing Clinton ahead are 'designed to suppress turnout'

CNN ^ | 10/26/2016 | Chris Massie

[BlackFemaleArmyColonel]

(CNN)Republican Sen. Rand Paul said on Wednesday that polls showing Hillary Clinton with a lead over Donald Trump are "designed to suppress turnout."

The Kentucky senator, who is ahead in surveys for his own re-election bid, was asked on, "The Tom Roten Morning Show," an 800 WVHU West Virginia radio program, about Clinton's national polling lead when he made the comment. "You know, I think sometimes polling is done to dampen election turnout so when Trump says the thing's rigged, I'm not sure exactly what he means and I'm not sure I always agree with him," Paul said. "But I do think that when we say over and over someone can't win that is a form of rigging in the sense that it is designed to suppress turnout."

Though there is no evidence to support his argument, Trump has repeatedly said that the election is "rigged" in Clinton's favor, saying that he means this both in the sense of electoral fraud and media bias. While there is also no evidence of pollsters intentionally skewing results to benefit one party or candidate over another, Paul, a rival of Trump's during the Republican primary who has since endorsed him,contended that Kentucky Gov. Matt Bevin's unexpected victory in the gubernatorial race last year was an example of this phenomenon.

"In Kentucky, in our governor's race in 2015, the media said over and over and over again the Democrats were up 8 points," Paul said. "The hope I think was to depress Republican turnout and these were coming from liberal newspapers in our state. And turns out the Republicans won by 8. They were off like by 16 — 14, 16 points. And but I think some of that is intentional.

[Sam Gamgee]

Thanks for that. I think that means Fox News even reported that out of context.

[Red Badger]

We ain't buying it!...........

[BlackFemaleArmyColonel]

TRUE. They are repeating this lie over and over again.

[Theophilus]

Yeah well we’re turning out for Rand and his excellent Liberty rating.

[JudyinCanada]

Would showing Clinton way ahead not suppress voter turnout on their side as well?

[DeoVindiceSicSemperTyrannis]

I think they are also meant as a cover for the massive voter fraud she plans on having. If she pulled out a win after being behind in the polls that would be seen as more suspicious.

[ThePatriotsFlag]

This is one I just don’t “get”. How does this dampen turnout? Trump’s base is, frankly, enraged! They throng to him by the thousands at rallies because they are ANGRY and he is the only political hand grenade we have. This only INSPIRES people, who are already angry, to BE SURE NOT TO MISS casting their vote.

[Repealthe17thAmendment]

The Clinton campaign is so arrogant, that they think the polls showing their lead is to their benefit. They think it demoralizes the Trump supporters and confirms what they believe is their right to power.

They can't even imagine how determined the Trump support is, or how flimsy their own support is.

Suppressing the vote definitely helps Trump.

[Crolis]

It’s probably because he actually has a day job as a surgeon. I think many in congress couldn’t hack a real job.

[OriginalChristian]

The timing is perfect, its their last desperate actions, oversampling libs, and even with, reporting the #Witch leading within the MoE, the #Witch faltering within her health issues (I don’t like her, but wouldn’t wish this on anyone); while on the side of good & light, WikiLeaks, The other revealer whose name escapes me, proof of electronic voter fraud thanks to early voting in many states, and the icing on the cake, ObozoCare blowing up all over the country. A near perfect storm in Trump’s favor.

[cgbg]

I think everyone needs to think a little out of the box to understand what the MSM is up to here. They get their marching orders from their owners who have bought and paid for Hillary—so they work together so determine the “message”

I do not believe they are trying to depress Trump turnout.

They have a very different agenda, but you need to think like the Hillary folks to get it.

If you read the Podesta emails it is clear that their number one concern is not Trump, it is not issues, it is not contributors, it is......

Keeping the Clinton Criminal Enterprise safe from leaks and defectors.

If the Clinton team (young Turks, Chelsea and the Stanford crowd) believes Hillary is winning the election they are less likely to continue hacking the campaign computers, feeding stuff to Wikileaks, and providing damaging information that could land Hillary in jail (if she can’t escape the country in time).

All that propaganda has a very narrow audience—because it is very dangerous to take on the Clinton Crime Family _if you believe they are going to win_.