RNC Chair Priebus: Michigan ‘An Absolute Toss-Up’

Sunday on ABC’s “This Week,” while discussing Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump’s chances to take the normally blue state of Michigan, Republican National Committee chairman Reince Priebus said, “as far as Michigan is concerned, I mean we have to look at our — our — our data. And we went in — we go in with 3,000 samples a night. It matches public polling. It’s an absolute toss-up.”

Partial transcript as follows:

STEPHANOPOULOS: Going forward, as in these final 48 hours, you’re obviously making a big play in Michigan. It seems like Donald Trump has turned away from your home state of Wisconsin. What’s going on in Michigan right now and what is the blue state in the Upper Midwest where you have the best chance of winning?

PRIEBUS: We’ll, he hasn’t turned away from Wisconsin, George. Mike Pence was there yesterday campaigning with Paul Ryan. It’s even possible he would go back to Wisconsin tomorrow. So I mean I’m just — I want to put that out there. But as far as Michigan is concerned, I mean we have to look at our — our — our data. And we went in — we go in with 3,000 samples a night. It matches public polling. It’s an absolute toss-up.

And so when you look at a place like Michigan, where jobs have gone to Mexico and China and people are out of work and people want things to get better, I think Donald Trump is offering that vision for — for the state of Michigan. and we win a state like Michigan, and, as you know, it’s all over. If I would have told you a year ago that we have a candidate that can win Florida, Ohio and Michigan, we would say that’s a candidate that’s going to win. So I think it’s a great opportunity for us

STEPHANOPOULOS: Well, you still have something else in there that I think is significant. You’re right, Michigan is significant.But Florida perhaps even more. And you’ve seen that Latino surge down in Florida right now. The Democrats seem confident about that and they are breaking records with this early vote of Latinos, likely to break against Mr. Trump.

PRIEBUS: Yes, but what — what you’re not saying — and I know you’re not doing it on purpose — but there are 75,000 votes behind on party registration votes and early vote in Florida today than they were four years ago. So they’re actually — you know, and here’s the thing. They’re behind that — where they were four years ago. We lost Florida by 75,000 votes four years ago. They’re 75,000 votes behind today. And so — and the same thing in North Carolina. They’re about 100,000 votes behind in North Carolina than where they were four years ago. We went into election day, George, in North Carolina four years ago down by 455,000 votes. We won North Carolina. So everyone out there needs to understand that the early vote issue can only tell you so much and you’ve got to look beyond the numbers. Look at Iowa. We’re behind in Iowa today in early vote. No one actually thinks we’re going to lose Iowa. But we’re way ahead of where we were four years ago. We’re ahead by 70,000 votes in Ohio today. So, you know, when they’re concentrating on Cleveland two days before Tuesday, they’re not expanding the map in Ohio, I can assure you. Their plan — their game plan has to be lock down Cleveland then experienced through Ohio. That’s not what they’re doing, George.

(h/t Politico)

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