Pete Buttigieg on ‘remarkable’ Iowa poll political earthquake

Out U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, speaking in a personal capacity, addressed the significance of a surprising Des Moines Registerpoll showing Vice President Kamala Harris leading former President Donald Trump in the red state two days before Election Day on MSNBC’s Inside with Jen Psaki on Sunday. The poll, conducted by highly regarded Iowa pollster J. Ann Selzer, showed Harris leading Trump by three points inIowa, a state he previously won twice. Buttigieg described the poll results as “remarkable” yet plausible, given Iowans’ tendency to “think for themselves” and occasionally cross party lines.

Buttigieg noted that an “unprecedented number of Republicans” appear to be backing Harris. “It’s only one poll,” he cautioned, “but if you do live and breathe this stuff, you know that this might be the most famous name in polling, certainly in Iowa,” he said, referring to Selzer. Buttigieg added that the poll’s reflection of Harris’s appeal among rural, white voters could signal a similar trend in Midwestern battlegrounds like Michigan, where he observed “an extraordinary amount of energy” in recent days.

Meanwhile, Trump reacted to the Iowa poll with a barrage of criticism, calling Selzer “one of [his] enemies” and claiming the results were “heavily skewed” against him. During an appearance on MSNBC’sMorning Joe on Monday, Selzer defended her work, attributing her accurate track record to her “polling forward” method, which avoids adjusting data based on past turnout or other elections. “This method is the same method that we used in 2016 to show Trump winning and 2020 to show Trump winning,” she said, emphasizing that her approach has not changed.

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Buttigieg also spoke to a critical issue resonating with voters: reproductive rights. “Donald Trump broke almost every promise that he made, but he did manage to keep a couple,” he said, highlighting Trump’s appointments to the Supreme Court and their role in overturning Roe v. Wade. Buttigieg argued that the loss of abortion rights has energized many voters concerned with personal freedoms, noting that this “force” was likely a contributing factor in the 2022 midterms. “Not just women, but the men who care about women and about freedom in this country should be motivated,” he added, expressing his hope for a national restoration of reproductive rights.

Discussing the challenging balance Democrats face in campaigning against Trump’s inflammatory statements while focusing on policy issues, Buttigieg addressed Trump’s provocations. “The more we’re talking about him, the less we’re talking about you, the voter, the American family that has so much on the line,” he said. The former South Bend mayor urged a focus on Harris’s platform, including economic issues and reproductive rights.

As the country approaches Election Day, Buttigieg emphasized that a Harris victory could mean a “more normal future.”

“A vote for Kamala Harris is a vote for politics not to be punching you in the face every day, every time you turn on the news,” he said.