Rasmussen Reports, Donald Trump’s favorite pollster, released a new poll today with the following headline:
One-in-four voters are prepared already to postpone the November presidential election – for the first time in U.S. history - if the coronavirus threat continues.
…
The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone and online survey finds that 25% of Likely U.S. Voters think the November election should be delayed if necessary as coronavirus panic grips the nation. Sixty-two percent (62%) are opposed to any such delay, but another 13% are undecided.
Of course the Trump maladministration will continue to prove its ineptness as COVID-19 cases and deaths mount. Trump will spread more lies, as he did this morning, that a cure or a vaccine or even adequate testing is just around the corner.
So as the effects and deadly outcomes of this virus deepen, watch for a shift in messaging from Trump’s mouthpieces at Fox News and from Trump and his maladministration. Rasmussen’s use of “are prepared already” indicates that this is where the right wing is heading.
Also note that the second part of this poll is about support for canceling primaries:
Nearly half (48%) of all voters believe upcoming state primaries should be postponed because of the coronavirus threat. Thirty-seven percent (37%) disagree and say they should be held on their scheduled dates. Fifteen percent (15%) are not sure.
It is not a far leap for Fox News pundits (and Trump) to suggest that if people support canceling primaries, then we should certainly consider canceling the general election. I think the fact that a right wing pollster is even asking the question is the tell.
Rasmussen is the “canary in the coal mine” here. The pandemic is just entering the steep part of the curve and we are facing a steep rise in infections and deaths. We are Italy. It is not beyond the scope of believability that Trump and his media minions will leverage this crisis to postpone the general election. A lot will depend how quickly we can ramp up a vaccine and/or treatment. But should we still be deep in this crisis come late summer/early fall, I think we should fully expect to see this argument from conservative circles as well as inane tweets from Trump that misspell “martial.”
Democratic politicians take note: Conservative media is likely already mapping out its plans to make such a case.