CNN Data Guru Blows Up Trump’s Claim of Rigged LA Election: ‘Dumbest Conspiracy Theory I Have Ever Heard!’

CNN’s chief data correspondent, Harry Enten, called MAGA-world claims that Democrats are trying to steal the Los Angeles mayoral race from reality TV star Spencer Pratt one of the “dumbest conspiracy theories” he’s ever heard.

Enten made the comment on Monday while breaking down the latest numbers from the race with CNN anchor John Berman.

“All right, this morning a brand new update on the Los Angeles Mayor’s race. As more votes have been counted, Nithya Raman, a councilwoman who is a Democrat, has moved into second place ahead of reality star Spencer Pratt, who is a Republican. This means that if it were to end today — which it won’t — but if it were to end today, the top two people advancing would be Democrats. Now, Republicans are all kinds of upset that this is the way California counts votes. The president says that it’s rigged somehow. It’s not. This is just the way they do it. But the thing is, the person who might be most upset about all of this — not a Republican, but the incumbent mayor of Los Angeles — Democrat Karen Bass. With us now is chief data analyst Harry Enten. What am I talking about here?” Berman began to start the segment.

“Yeah, this is the dumbest conspiracy theory I have ever heard, because the Democratic establishment and Karen Bass wanted Spencer Pratt in the run-off. They don’t want any part of Nithya Raman,” Enten replied, adding:

Why is that? Because just take a look here. Mayor’s race run-off polls — Bass versus Pratt. Bass would have crushed Pratt by 18 points. That’s what the polling showed. Look at how she does against Nithya Raman, on the other hand. Raman is ahead by four points. Bass has a real race on her hands if in fact Raman’s the one who advances. And of course, the Democratic establishment is backing Karen Bass, but versus Spencer Pratt, she was crushing him. She wanted to face Pratt. She wanted nothing to do with Raman, and that’s why these conspiracy theories simply make no sense.

Berman added, “When we talk about favorability, you have more evidence here.”

“Yeah, this is more evidence. Why is it that Nithya Raman is doing so much better than Spencer Pratt would against Karen Bass? Simply put, Raman is actually decently liked by L.A. city voters,” Enten explained, adding:

Look at this. Nithya Raman: plus five on the net favorability rating. Karen Bass: way underwater at minus 22 points. You basically just need someone who’s half decently well-liked to be favored, or at least have a real shot against the incumbent Karen Bass. Spencer Pratt, on the other hand — look at that. He’s even less liked than Karen Bass! He’s 32 points underwater. Karen Bass doesn’t want to face Nithya Raman. She would love to face Spencer Pratt, because simply put, she’s managed to find someone who’s more unpopular than she is — and she’s quite unpopular.

“This is really interesting. You look at these numbers, one of these things is not like the other. She is definitely more liked than the other two. Now, the president — obviously the president is looking at this race. He’s all kinds of upset about it. He presumably wanted Pratt here. Yes, Republican wants Republican — news at 11, Angelenos. What do they think about the president?” Berman followed up.

“Yeah, okay, this is the other thing. The President of the United States is such a drain on Spencer — I mean, hello. Los Angeles city voters: Trump’s net approval rating in the city of Los Angeles is about 55 points underwater,” Enten answered, adding:

The idea that a Republican could be the mayor of Los Angeles when the President of the United States has a net approval rating 55 points underwater — it’s so difficult. And registered Republicans are just 15 percent of the voters in the City of Los Angeles; 55 percent are Democrats. Spencer Pratt was facing a mountain in order to win.

And so Karen Bass and the Democratic establishment knew that there’s basically no chance a Republican could be the next mayor of Los Angeles. The only way she could lose is if she goes up against another Democrat — and you see it right here, very simply put, up by four. No wonder. And that is where the results right now are moving: a Raman versus Bass general election, which, as I said at the top, is an absolute nightmare for the Democratic establishment and Karen Bass. They would have much preferred Spencer Pratt.

“A lot of discomfort, no doubt, this morning in and around the establishment in Los Angeles,” agreed Berman, ending the segment, “Harry, thank you for explaining that so well. Thank you, my friend. You’re an outstanding human being.”

Watch the clip above via CNN.

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