Pollster ratings · Head to head

Cygnal vs. Rasmussen: which pollster is more accurate?

Cygnal comes out ahead on 6 of 7 measures in the Crosstab Trust Index, which grades pollsters on how close their final polls came to actual results from 1998 to 2022.

★ Ahead
Cygnal
A
Trust Score 76/100 · rank #8
 
Rasmussen Reports
C
Trust Score 27/100 · rank #59

Head to head

MeasureCygnalRasmussen
Trust Score76/100 ★27/100
Average error
how far final polls missed the result
3.8 pts ★4.9 pts
Versus expected
error compared with what its races predicted
1.5 better ★0.3 worse
Consistency
random miss once its tilt is removed
±3.3 pts ★±4.7 pts
Historical bias
closer to even is better
D+2.4D+1.7 ★
Winners called92% ★67%
Track record
final polls analyzed, 1998–2022
39 polls139 polls
2026 polls1119
2026 lean
versus other polls of the same races
R+0.3 ★D+0.6

2026 races both have polled

RaceCygnal (latest)Rasmussen (latest)
Michigan SenateEl-Sayed 45, Rogers 40 (D+3.5 vs. avg)El-Sayed 47, Rogers 44 (even vs. avg)
Iowa SenateTurek 43, Hinson 43 (R+1.3 vs. avg)Turek 47, Hinson 43 (D+2.3 vs. avg)
Georgia SenateOssoff 46, Collins 43 (R+2 vs. avg)Ossoff 51, Collins 42 (D+2.7 vs. avg)

Compare them in the interactive Trust Index All pollster ratings

More comparisons: Rasmussen Reports vs. YouGov · Cygnal vs. YouGov · Emerson College vs. Rasmussen Reports · Cygnal vs. Emerson College · Rasmussen Reports vs. University of New Hampshire Survey Center · Cygnal vs. University of New Hampshire Survey Center · New York Times/Siena College vs. Rasmussen Reports · Cygnal vs. New York Times/Siena College

Frequently asked questions

Which is more accurate, Cygnal or Rasmussen?

Cygnal has the smaller average error (3.8 pts vs. 4.9 pts). Overall, cygnal comes out ahead on 6 of 7 measures in the Crosstab Trust Index (Cygnal: A, Trust Score 76; Rasmussen: C, Trust Score 27).

Which leans more Republican in 2026, Cygnal or Rasmussen?

Cygnal (R+0.3 versus other polls of the same races) compared with Rasmussen (D+0.6). Lean describes how a pollster's numbers compare with others; it isn't a measure of accuracy.

Have Cygnal and Rasmussen polled the same 2026 races?

Yes: 3 races in Crosstab's data, including Michigan Senate, Iowa Senate, Georgia Senate.

Grades: Crosstab Trust Index, computed from FiveThirtyEight's pollster-ratings data (CC BY 4.0), 1998–2022; 2026 measures from Crosstab's polling data.

Updated 2026-10-04 · Crosstab, nonpartisan polling analysis.