A previously unknown polling firm has shuttered after admitting it fabricated survey data in multiple races, including the Los Angeles mayoral election and a Wisconsin gubernatorial primary. Median Strategies announced on August 18 that its polls—showing Democratic Mayor Karen Bass leading in Los Angeles and Francesca Hong ahead in Wisconsin—were part of a short-term social experiment designed to test how unverified polling data spreads through political discourse.
The company stated on its now-defunct website that it "has concluded its polling project and will not publish additional polls." All previously published polling releases were withdrawn and should not be cited as genuine data, according to the statement.
Immediate Fallout and Responses
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass had publicly touted the Median Strategies poll, which claimed she led challenger Nithya Raman by 11 percentage points in the upcoming general election. Bass’s campaign removed the social media post referencing the poll after its authenticity was questioned. A spokesperson for Bass told the Los Angeles Times that "any bad faith attempts to influence elections should be investigated and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law."
Raman’s campaign criticized Bass for sharing the poll without verification, stating that candidates must research polling firms before citing their results. Raman’s campaign did not respond to requests for comment.
In Wisconsin, Francesca Hong, a Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) member, had been shown leading Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley by 20 points in a Median Strategies poll ahead of the August 11 primary. Hong ultimately lost the primary by less than 1%, according to election results.
How the Experiment Worked
Median Strategies described its project as a test of how unverified polling data could enter and spread through political discourse. The company claimed it surveyed 560 Los Angeles voters between July 30 and August 5, with a 4.1% margin of error, though it later admitted the data was fabricated.
The fake poll also suggested that 16% of respondents supported Republican-turned-independent candidate Spencer Pratt, with 85% of those voters backing Bass. Pratt was eliminated in the June primary.
The company did not disclose who operated the project or whether any financial compensation was involved. It stated that no one associated with the project received financial benefit.
Broader Implications for Political Polling
The incident has reignited concerns about the reliability of political polling, particularly amid recent high-profile races where preelection surveys appeared to mislead expectations. In Michigan’s 2026 Democratic Senate primary, polls had shown Abdul El-Sayed leading Rep. Haley Stevens by double digits, but El-Sayed won by just one point on election night.
Experts note that while fake polls are rare, their potential to influence public perception—especially when amplified by candidates or media—raises questions about verification standards in political polling. The Median Strategies case highlights the risks of unvetted data entering the electoral information ecosystem.
Previous Cases of Fabricated Polls
The Median Strategies episode follows a similar incident in 2017, when conservative musician Kid Rock (Robert Ritchie) shared poll results from a firm called Delphi Analytica, which claimed he led Democratic Senator Debbie Stabenow in Michigan. The firm later took down its website and refused to identify its operators, stating, "Thanks again and go Kid Rock."
Company’s Final Statement
Median Strategies’ final statement read: "Median Strategies was created as a short-term social experiment examining how purported polling information could enter and spread through the political information ecosystem without independent verification. We are not seeking publicity or attribution for this project."
The firm’s website was taken offline shortly after the admission.