Readers responded with bemusement and skepticism in June 2019 after an "Official 2020 Trump vs Democrat Poll" emerged online and on social media, appearing to pose questions framed in a heavily anti-Democrat way.
For example, one survey question asked, "Who would you rather see fix our Nation's shattered immigration policies? President Trump // A MS-13 loving Democrat," while another somewhat tautological question asked: "Who would you trust to NOT raise your taxes? President Trump // A High Tax Democrat."
Such bias in the questions, as well as some clear nods to Trump's go-to insults against his political opponents (the poll referenced "a Lyin' Democrat" and "a Low IQ Democrat"), prompted inquiries from Snopes readers who were uncertain whether they were reading a parody or hoax or an official Trump 2020 campaign poll. One reader asked, "Oh my gosh, is this really from the Trump campaign? Or some satire site?" while another wrote, "Is this for real? It sounds too crazy ..."
The survey was indeed published by Trump's official re-election campaign committee, on that campaign's official website. An archived version can be read here. The site on which it appeared, donaldjtrump.com, is run by two formally registered, pro-Trump committees and the Republican National Committee (RNC). The website contains the following disclaimer, which makes clear the official nature of the June 2019 survey and all other content featured on the site:
"Paid for by the Trump Make America Great Again Committee, a joint fundraising committee authorized by and composed of Donald J. Trump for President, Inc. and the Republican National Committee."
The poll's true purpose may not have been to create a set of results that reflected in a misleadingly positive way on the president but rather to harvest contact information — respondents were required to enter their name, zip code and email address in order to submit their answers.
The full list of questions was as follows:
- Who would you rather see fix our Nation's shattered immigration policies?
- President Trump
- A MS-13 Loving Democrat - Who would you trust more to protect America from foreign and domestic threats?
- President Trump
- A Corrupt Democrat - Who would you rather handle our Nation's economy?
- President Trump
- A Radical Socialist Democrat - Who do you believe is more transparent with the American People?
- President Trump
- A Lyin' Democrat - Who do you trust to NOT raise your taxes?
- President Trump
- A High Tax Democrat - Who do you believe will ALWAYS put America FIRST?
- President Trump
- A Sleazy Democrat - Who do you believe will keep their promises?
- President Trump
- A Lyin' Democrat - Who do you believe will fight for you every day?
- President Trump
- A Low Energy Democrat - Who do you believe is better for America?
- President Trump
- A Low IQ Democrat - Who will you vote for in 2020?
- President Trump
- A Radical Socialist Democrat
The "Trump vs Democrat" poll bore similarities to another survey on the subject of "mainstream media accountability," which Trump's website published in February 2017, and that included heavily slanted questions such as. "Do you feel that the media is too eager to slur conservatives with baseless accusations of racism and sexism?"