Full Breakdown
Median Strategies Closes Fake Poll Operation After Releasing Fabricated Election Data
8/19/2026, 4:34:57 AM
Fake Polls Withdrawn
Median Strategies announced that it has concluded its polling project and will not publish additional polls. The company removed all previously released polling releases, stating they should not be cited or treated as genuine polling data.
Background of the Social Experiment
The firm described its creation as a short-term social experiment to examine how purported polling information could spread through the political information ecosystem without independent verification. During the experiment it released a poll showing Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass (D) with a 12-point lead over City Council member Nithya Raman, based on responses from 560 Angelenos and a reported 4.1 percent margin of error. A second poll claimed former Wisconsin gubernatorial candidate Francesca Hong held a 20-point advantage in her race, which she ultimately lost.
Key Figures and Campaigns Involved
- Karen Bass – incumbent Los Angeles mayor, Democratic candidate.
- Nithya Raman – Los Angeles City Council member, Democratic challenger.
- Francesca Hong – former Wisconsin gubernatorial candidate.
- Spencer Pratt – reality-TV personality who ran in the Los Angeles mayoral primary.
Official Reactions
Median Strategies said the project was intended solely as an experiment and declined further comment. Raman’s campaign criticized Bass’s team for promoting a fake poll without properly vetting the source.
Poll Data and Election Context
The fabricated Bass poll reported a 12-point lead over Raman; the Hong poll claimed a 20-point lead that did not materialize. In the June 2 primary, Bass received 34 percent of the vote, Raman 29 percent, and Pratt 26 percent, advancing Bass and Raman to the November runoff.
