The backlash to strategic issue polling is not what it seems 📊 August 15, 2021

Objections to “survey liberalism” and “popularism” stem in part from a misunderstanding of how polls actually get used in politics

This week’s newsletter is long because I have a lot on my mind, and because I missed last week’s note and would like to make amends. Please check out the German election polling model that was taking up so much of my after-work hours that my Economist colleagues and I finally released this week. As usual, if you have thoughts, you can reply to this message or email me at elliott at gelliottmorris DOT COM.

There is an ongoing conversation among Democratic activists, strategists and (mostly left-leaning) newspaper columnists about so-called “survey liberalism” and “popularism” — terms referring to the usage of political polls to craft political strategy and, in particular, to deem some things unpopular and worth avoiding. This conversation is missing a good-faith reading of the history and accuracy of political polling, including how polls get used in journalism and government. As I have studied this, I would like to offer a remedy.

Ryan Cooper, a political commentator for The Week magazi…