Trump claims GOP gaining in polls because Dems are running 'lunatics' like Graham Platner
WASHINGTON, DC: President Donald Trump says Republicans are riding a wave of political momentum heading into the midterms because, in his view, Democrats are putting the wrong candidates, like Graham Platner, on the ballot.
Speaking during a press conference at the G7 Summit in France on Wednesday, June 17, Trump addressed the GOP's improving position in generic congressional polling.
Trump still doesn't trust polls
At the press conference, a reporter pointed to an Economist/YouGov poll showing Democrats losing a five-point edge on the generic congressional ballot and asked, "Do you think that they’re losing momentum?"
“Generics are very important. I don’t know how accurate, because I see a lot of bad polls. Polls are very dishonest, just like a lot of reporters, like these people over here are very dishonest – CNN, ABC, it’s a whole group of them over there,” Trump said, noting that networks are also dishonest.
“They have to straighten themselves out, or they’re not going to be very successful, because people don’t believe them anymore,” Trump said before going back to the data everyone is gleaning from these polls.
Trump points to the Maine race as evidence of a larger trend
“But no, the generics are very interesting, because the Republicans are coming up strong, even before this. You know why? They’re seeing all these lunatics, like the guy in Maine with the s*astika,” Trump said, referring to Maine Democrat Senate nominee Platner.
He appeared to suggest that races like Maine's are helping Republicans nationally because voters are becoming increasingly uncomfortable with the candidates Democrats are fielding.
“You know, for ten years, they’ve been calling me a N**i, and now they have a N**i running,” Trump said, pointing to the irony of the situation. “He’s got a tattoo on him. I’ve been denying it for 10 years. I know it’s not so, but they’ve been going – I don’t think they could call it to me anymore.”
It's important to note that the Democratic nominee never had a s*astika tattoo. Instead, he faced controversy over a chest tattoo that many believed resembled the Totenkopf, an emblem used by SS guards. Platner has since covered the tattoo.
Trump's comments also stood out because they were delivered during an official G7 news conference rather than at a campaign rally or on social media.
