Polling bias is a familiar topic, particularly among those trailing in polls.

So, you expect Republicans to howl when a Democratic polling firm produces numbers they don’t like and vice versa.

Advertisement

A recent example was a round of polling by a solidly Republican polling outfit, Harper Polling, which found numbers favorable to Republican U.S. Senate candidates in a number of key states (including Arkansas, with a five-point lead, but less than a majority, for challenger Tom Cotton over incumbent Democratic Sen. Mark Pryor.)

Sometimes, however, there are some solid reasons to be skeptical of polling results. Huffington Post illustrates, with an analysis of the Harper Poll in Michigan and Louisiana, It badly underrepresented the historically reliable turnout in major urban areas — Detroit and New Orleans — that have been keys to Democratic victories in those states.  No similar analysis provided for the Arkansas results.

Advertisement

The only poll that counts, as the saying goes, is in November.

Help to Keep Great Journalism Alive in Arkansas

Join the fight for truth and become a subscriber of the Arkansas Times. We've been battling powerful forces for 50 years through our tough, determined, and feisty journalism. With over 63,000 Facebook followers, 58,000 Twitter followers, 35,000 Arkansas blog followers, and 70,000 daily email blasts, our readers value great journalism. But we need your help to do even more. By subscribing and supporting our efforts, you'll not only have access to all of our articles, but you'll also be helping us hire more writers to expand our coverage. Together, we can continue to hold the powerful accountable and bring important stories to light. Subscribe now or donate for as little as $1 and be a part of the Arkansas Times community.

Previous article About that snow …. Next article The staff for no one — a legal analysis of who’s in charge of Darr’s Dead Wood