Less than two weeks before Election Day, a new national poll paints a grim picture for President Donald Trump and his party. Just 34% of voters approve of the job Trump is doing, while 62% disapprove, including 50% who strongly disapprove, according to the latest Strength In Numbers/Verasight survey shared with NPR on Wednesday.
That puts the president’s job approval near the lowest point of his second term, and the poll’s other findings suggest the damage is spreading to Republicans running for Congress.
Democrats open a double-digit lead
Asked which party they would prefer to control Congress, registered voters favor Democrats over Republicans 52% to 41%. Among likely voters, the margin is 54% to 42%.
The survey of 2,028 respondents was conducted Oct. 13-19 and has a margin of sampling error of 2.2 percentage points.
Voters want a check on Trump
Only 25% of respondents said it was more important to elect a Congress that will help Trump pass his agenda. By contrast, 58% said the priority is electing a Congress that will act as a check and balance on him.
On tariffs and trade, health care, foreign policy, elections and voting, government spending and social programs, immigration and deportations, and artificial intelligence, a majority of those surveyed said they want Congress to roll back Trump’s positions or act as a check on them.
Two of every five voters said their vote would mostly be a statement against Trump and his agenda, compared with one in five who said it would be a statement of support. For 20%, the choice comes down to specific issues and candidates in their district.
Republicans lose ground on their best issues
The poll found record-low trust in Republicans’ ability to handle voters’ top concerns, including immigration and rising prices. In May 2025, the same poll found voters trusted Republicans more than Democrats on immigration and deportations by an average of 15 points. Today, Democrats hold a narrow one-point edge on that issue.
When voters were asked which party they trust to handle their own top issue, Democrats led 47% to 35%, a nearly 10-point jump since May 2025 and the widest gap the poll has measured. Republicans have lost ground on every measure tracked over the past year and a half, holding only a slim advantage on crime and public safety and on border security.
“Trump’s ratings hit new lows on seven of the 10 issues we’ve tracked since May 2025, from jobs and trade to immigration and border security, and he’s now underwater on every issue we ask about,” said G. Elliott Morris, author of the Strength In Numbers newsletter and CEO of Wave Polling and Research. “The president’s policies have even harmed Republicans, with voters now more likely to say they trust Democrats to handle the issues of immigration and the economy.”
Prices top the list of worries
Prices and inflation are far and away the biggest concern. Among adults, 63% named it one of their top three problems facing the country, and 39% ranked it first. Jobs and the economy, health care, elections and democracy, and immigration also ranked among the top issues.
Some 2024 voters have regrets
Nearly one in 10 people who said they voted in the 2024 presidential race now regret their choice, according to the poll. That includes almost 15% of self-described Trump voters and 15% of those who backed a third-party candidate.
More voters also said the Democratic Party cares more about people like them than the Republican Party does, while 20% said neither party does.
What it means for the midterms
The numbers help explain why both parties are pouring money into House and Senate races deep in conservative territory where Trump performed well in 2024. With Election Day fast approaching, the poll suggests many voters see the midterms as a referendum on the president, and a majority want the next Congress to push back.
Source: Strength In Numbers/Verasight poll, as reported by NPR.