A self-described polling group posted findings showing Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass leading by nearly 12 points in the race to keep her seat, but before its website went dark Monday, Median Strategies said those results were fake and a “short-term social experiment.”
The three-page poll that had a one-sentence methodology section managed to get the attention of Bass, who touted it in a post on X that has since been deleted, the Los Angeles Times first reported.
The poll attributed Bass’ lead over LA City Council member Nithya Raman to people who had voted for reality TV star Spencer Pratt in the June mayoral primary, stating that “85.23% now say they would back Bass.” President Donald Trump had endorsed Pratt, who failed to make it to the general election.