Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump batted away a legion of polls pointing to impending electoral doom Thursday, insisting he will win the White House in 12 days’ time.
Trump told die-hard supporters in the swing state of Ohio “we are going to win back the White House” and insisted he holds a commanding position.
“If we win on November 8,” he said, catching himself “When! Okay, okay. When we win on November 8!”
“We don’t want to take it for granted, but we are winning in a lot of states,” he added.
Accusing the media of being biased in favour of his opponent, Democrat Hillary Clinton, Trump said he is “winning in Florida, he’s winning in North Carolina, he’s winning in Iowa. He’s winning in Ohio.”
The controversial mogul has not been ahead in Florida or North Carolina in a month, according to the Real Clear Politics average of polls.
He is slightly ahead in Ohio, but the race is tight enough that he was holding three campaign events in the state on Thursday.
In Iowa, Trump appears to have a more solid position, but he would need to run the board of swing states to win the White House.
For months, most polls have shown Clinton leading Trump in the popular vote.
That lead has become a chasm since the October 7 release of a 2005 video in which Trump is heard making lewd comments and boasting about groping women.
Since then, about a dozen women have come forward with sexual misconduct allegations.
Trump and Clinton are now in the final stretch of an arduous two-year election campaign.
The pair — with voices hoarse from repeating the same stump speeches over and over — crisscrossed swing states Thursday soliciting votes.
Both are now focused on getting supporters out to the polls.
“Early voting is underway so to make sure, get out and vote, we don’t want to give this away,” Trump said, trashing Clinton as “a big liar.”
He is seeking to take advantage of possible complacency among Clinton’s supporters and public weariness after a long and harrowing campaign.
On Thursday Clinton campaigned with First Lady Michelle Obama, who implored supporters to turn out.
Trump’s strategy, she said, was “to make this election so dirty and ugly that we don’t want any part of it.”
“So when you hear folks talking about a global conspiracy and saying that this election is rigged, understand that they are trying to get you to stay home.”