Ex-Cabinet minister Rory Stewart faces dropping HUGE sum of cash after betting on large win for Kamala Harris in US election
Rory Stewart is facing the loss of a huge sum of money after he placed a big bet on Kamala Harris to win the US election.
The ex-Cabinet minister confidently told his nearly 600,000 social media followers earlier this week that Ms Harris would ‘win comfortably’.
He even revealed he had ‘bet the maximum I was allowed to bet’ on the Democrat candidate to win the battle for the White House.
But, following Donald Trump‘s historic victory, Mr Stewart was this morning forced to admit he was ‘completely wrong’.
The former Tory MP, who was once a Conservative leadership contender, added it was ‘heartbreaking’ that Mr Trump would now be returning as US president.
Rory Stewart (right) is facing the loss of a huge sum of money after he placed a big bet on Kamala Harris to win the US election
The ex-Cabinet minister confidently told his nearly 600,000 social media followers earlier this week that Ms Harris would ‘win comfortably’
But, following Donald Trump ‘s stunning victory, Mr Stewart was this morning forced to admit he was ‘completely wrong’
In a post on X, formerly known as Twitter , on Monday morning, Mr Stewart had set out the reasons why he thought Ms Harris would ‘win comfortably’
The former Tory MP was asked by one X user whether he would back up his prediction with a £100,000 bet
In a post on X, formerly known as Twitter, on Monday morning, Mr Stewart had set out the reasons why he thought Ms Harris would ‘win comfortably’.
This included the ‘solid’ performance of Joe Biden’s administration, in which Ms Harris serves as vice-president, and that Mr Trump had ‘lost ground’ since his 2016 election victory.
He also claimed the Republican candidate had failed to win the support of young black male voters, while young women were backing Ms Harris.
Mr Stewart, who served as international development secretary when Theresa May was prime minister, told his 598,000 social media followers to ‘ignore polls’.
Asked by one X user whether he would back up his prediction with a £100,000 bet, Mr Stewart replied: ‘UK and US sites didn’t allow me to bet that amount – but I have bet the maximum I was allowed to bet – let’s see.’
This morning, after Mr Trump delivered a triumphant victory speech in Florida, Mr Stewart admitted he was ‘completely wrong about Kamala Harris’.
‘It is heartbreaking that Trump is now the President,’ he added.
Speaking on The Rest Is Politics podcast this morning – which he co-hosts with ex-Downing Street director of communications Alistair Campbell – Mr Stewart tried to explain how he had been ‘totally wrong’ on the election result.
‘I got it totally wrong, I thought Kamala Harris would win and I believed she would win comfortably,’ he said.
‘I thought it would be over quite quickly, despite the polls showing 50-50.
‘Why? I can repeat my arguments, they were technical arguments about young African-American voters and how they would turn out, her ground game, the money, the performance of Biden’s administration.
‘It’s all turned out wrong, completely wrong. I don’t think though that I was fundamentally wrong because I’m patronising towards people.
‘I never felt that, I never felt that as a politician in Britain – I didn’t feel I was patronising towards by Brexit-voting constituents.
‘I think I was wrong because I am an optimist and I hate the idea of being right pessimistically.’
He added: ‘My bet on Kamala Harris was a bet on the American people, it was a bet on liberal democracy, it was a bet against populism, it was a bet on hope.’
