Newsletters
U.S. President Donald Trump's approval rating has fallen to 31%, the lowest of either of his terms, and Democrats hold their widest lead of the election cycle ahead of the Nov. 3 midterm elections, a Reuters/Ipsos poll that closed Monday showed.
Some 47% of registered voters said they would vote for Democrats if the congressional elections were held today, compared with 35% for Republicans.
The 12-point gap is up from a 7-point Democratic lead two weeks earlier.
Losing either chamber of Congress would complicate Trump's agenda for his final two years, as soaring fuel prices from the Iran war weigh on voters and push traditionally safe Republican states into play.
Trump's approval fell one point from two weeks earlier, with 66% disapproving, according to the poll of 1,679 adults, including 1,279 registered voters.
Some 68% disapprove of his handling of the economy, including 37% of Republicans, and voters picked Democrats over Republicans as better economic stewards, 40% to 33%.
Women drove much of the shift, with 50% backing Democrats and 32% Republicans.
Other polls show similar trends.
A Washington Post-ABC News-Ipsos survey put Trump’s approval at 33%, with 56% saying his deportation campaign has gone too far, while an NBC News poll had him at 34%, with 71% saying the country is on the "wrong track."
Trump scored lowest on the cost of living, at 27%, and the Iran war, at 29%, in the NBC poll.
An AP-NORC/AAPI Data poll found about a quarter of Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander adults approve of Trump.
"What the data show is that any gains that he made not only during the 2024 election, that has now largely disappeared," said Karthick Ramakrishnan, founder of AAPI Data.
Trump launched a seven-state rally blitz in Kansas on Monday, backing Sen. Roger Marshall, who is locked in a dead heat with Methodist pastor Adam Hamilton in a state that has not elected a Democratic senator since 1932.
"Whatever you do, get out and vote," Trump told supporters near Wichita. "All you have to do is turn out. If you turn out, we win."
Trump will hold rallies in the Carolinas, Iowa, Florida, Georgia, and Michigan over the next six days. More than 9 million votes have already been cast nationwide, according to the University of Florida's Election Lab.
Republicans hold a 53-47 Senate majority, and Democrats need a net gain of four seats to take control.
In the House, Republicans hold 218 seats to Democrats' 214.
Senate battlegrounds include North Carolina, where former Gov. Roy Cooper faces Michael Whatley; Texas, where Democrat James Talarico, who raised a record $64 million last quarter, faces Attorney General Ken Paxton; Ohio, where Sherrod Brown seeks a comeback against Jon Husted; and Maine, where Susan Collins faces Troy Jackson. Races in Alaska, Iowa, Kansas and Michigan are also competitive.
Republicans are relying on outside groups, with Elon Musk giving about $366 million this cycle, including $158 million to Paxton. National polls do not translate neatly into seats, particularly after redistricting, and can miss by several points, as the Trump approval slide sets the stage for Nov. 3.
Set as preferred source
Set as preferred source
2 min read
