Biden Campaign Co-Chair Richmond: ‘Probably’ More Secret Biden Voters Than Secret Trump Voters

Thursday on FNC’s “Fox & Friends,” Rep. Cedric Richmond (D-LA), who is also serving as the co-chair of former Vice President Joe Biden’s 2020 presidential campaign, maintained polling was an accurate reflection of the state of the presidential race in many cases.

Richmond said he believed the polls showing leads of double-digits for Biden. However, he also discounted the notion of so-called secret voters for incumbent President Donald Trump, which may not be reflected in polling.

During an interview with “Fox & Friends” co-host Brian Kilmeade, Richmond explained how his state once dealt with a candidate on the ballot that made polling difficult in the form of David Duke’s 1991 gubernatorial election and argued there was likely more “secret” Biden voters than “secret” Trump voters.

Exchange as follows:

KILMEADE: In about four major polls, Joe Biden is leading the president, and some in double-digits. Do you believe that he is winning by that amount? Do you believe the polls that you’re up by that much?

RICHMOND: I do believe the polls and I know that there’s concern and there’s talk of secret Trump voters. I just want to tell you I’m from Louisiana. There’s nothing I need to learn about secret voters.

We had David Duke on the ballot running for governor of the state of Louisiana. He was polling at one number and he came in at a higher number because people didn’t want to tell a live pollster that they were for the guy with bad character and a Klansman.

And so, what we say in 2016 was that the touchstone polls were more accurate because people didn’t want to be judged.

And so, we’re doing it — the polling in several different methods and I don’t believe that —

KILMEADE: Right.

RICHMOND: — there’s this — a grade of secret Trump voters out there. And by the way, if they were and the polls were exactly wrong in the same percent that they were with Clinton, Biden would still win because his lead is that big.

KILMEADE: Well, it could be. I know you’re not saying the president and David Duke attract the same voters. You’re just using that as an example, right?

RICHMOND: Well, I’m using it as an example as secret voters and people who will vote —

KILMEADE: Right.

RICHMOND: — for somebody who may not have great character and who may be questionable —

KILMEADE: Yes.

RICHMOND: — in the character column.

KILMEADE: Well, I think it’s more the reaction of people in a polarized America. People say I don’t really want to deal with putting on a bumper sticker on and somebody who doesn’t want to vote for that candidate react negatively. It just doesn’t seem to pay off, especially when voting is supposed to be a secret anyway.

So you don’t buy into that — what these polls reveal that most Trump voters feel, as most people in Pennsylvania and others feel as though there are secret Trump voters where only five percent say there are secret Biden voters? You don’t buy into that?

RICHMOND: No, actually, I don’t. And I think that the pressure and the atmosphere of the Republican Party these days, there are probably more secret Biden voters because Republicans are scared to stand up to this president and I think that they don’t want to be isolated. They don’t want to be picked on and bullied if they’re not with this president, just like congressmen and senators are afraid to step up because as soon as they do they get smacked down on Twitter.

So I think that there are a bunch of people. And anytime you are fighting a bully, once you get a bully — a bully gets into a real fight —

KILMEADE: Right.

RICHMOND: — everybody comes out to score a lick because they’re tired of being bullied. And I think that that’s how some Republicans feel about their party right now.

KILMEADE: Right. I didn’t know you were speaking for Republicans but — or you knew their mindset because he has 92 percent of Republican support. And I don’t think Mitt Romney has any problem letting him — letting everybody know where he stands, or the governor of Maryland, for that matter.

Meanwhile, everyone —

RICHMOND: Well, Carly Fiorina just came out for Vice President Biden.

So look — and I —

KILMEADE: And was she too intimidated to do so?

RICHMOND: But she did. I think she’s a leader. But I think there are a bunch of people who are going to follow her because —

KILMEADE: Yes.

RICHMOND: — because they don’t want to be isolated or bullied.

Follow Jeff Poor on Twitter @jeff_poor