Sat Oct 25 20:20:00 UTC 2025: Summary:

Donald Trump has secured a legal victory in his lawsuit against Iowa pollster J. Ann Selzer and The Des Moines Register over a 2024 Iowa poll that incorrectly predicted Kamala Harris would beat Trump. The 8th Circuit Court of Appeals sided with Trump, ruling that the case should be heard in Iowa State Court, overruling a lower court. Trump’s legal team alleges the poll was a deliberate attempt to interfere with the election, while Selzer’s counsel maintains the case is frivolous. The Des Moines Register also believes the case should be heard in federal court.

News Article:

Trump Wins Legal Round in Lawsuit Against Iowa Pollster, Des Moines Register

Washington, D.C. – Former President Donald Trump scored a significant legal victory Friday in his lawsuit against Iowa pollster J. Ann Selzer and The Des Moines Register, moving the case closer to trial in Iowa State Court. The lawsuit centers around a controversial 2024 poll released shortly before the election, which showed then-Vice President Kamala Harris leading Trump in Iowa. Trump ultimately won the state handily.

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 8th Circuit sided with Trump, overturning a lower court decision and granting his request to have the case heard in Iowa State Court. Trump’s legal team alleges that the poll was a calculated attempt to sway the election in favor of Harris, calling it “brazen election interference.”

“Today’s just and appropriate ruling by the 8th Circuit ensures that President Trump’s powerhouse case focused on the fake election interfering polls conducted and denominated by J. Ann Selzer, The Des Moines Register and its corporate owner Gannett will be litigated in Iowa State Court where it belongs,” a spokesperson for Trump’s legal team told Fox News Digital. “These defendants have repeatedly engaged in unlawful gamesmanship to avoid State Court, and that ends today. President Trump will continue to hold those who traffic in fake news, lies and smears to account.”

Selzer’s legal representation, Bob Corn-Revere of the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE), downplayed the significance of the ruling, stating that the 8th Circuit’s decision was based solely on a “technical point of civil procedure” and “said nothing about the merits of the case.” He added, “This case is every bit as frivolous today as it was yesterday.”

A spokesperson for Gannett, the parent company of The Des Moines Register, echoed the sentiment that the case belongs in federal court. “We are assessing the court’s decision,” said Lark-Marie Antón. “Given the nature of the case and that it involves the president of the United States as a plaintiff, we continue to believe the federal courts are the most appropriate forum for this lawsuit. In the event the suit is heard by the state courts of Iowa, we have confidence the matter will be adjudicated fairly.”

The lawsuit was initially filed in December, alleging that The Des Moines Register and Selzer deliberately published a “leaked and manipulated” poll to create a false narrative of momentum for Harris.

The legal battle underscores the continued scrutiny of polling accuracy and its potential impact on elections, particularly in the wake of unexpected outcomes. The case is now expected to proceed in Iowa State Court.

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