Longtime Republican pollster and strategist Frank Luntz believes that America should know who won the presidency four days after Election Day.
"I'm going to go with Saturday, Nov. 7," Luntz said on CNBC's "Squawk Box" on Friday, the morning after the final debate between President Donald Trump and Joe Biden.
Legal challenges and recounts aside, Luntz said Biden will ultimately win the White House but not before some lead swings in the days immediately following the voting. "As the polls close, and the first votes are counted, Donald Trump is going to have a lead. He may even have a significant lead. His voters are going to think he's won the race."
However, as mail-in ballots are counted, Trump voters are going to feel like they were robbed, Luntz added. "I think we'll have an indication by Thursday morning," he said. "It'll take until Saturday morning before we are really sure who's going to be the next president."
Luntz also told CNBC that Trump won the final debate in Nashville, Tennessee, but the performance is not going to be enough to get him reelected. Thursday night's affair was calmer and more focused on the issues. The two candidates clashed on the coronavirus, climate change, their personal finances and health care.
"You got to give Trump a minor victory" in the second debate, Luntz said. "But in the end, I think Joe Biden won the war," he added, arguing that with 11 days until the election and more than 47 million votes already cast, it's "virtually impossible" the president to overcome Biden's lead in national and swing state polls.