Could a Republican election loss affect next year’s midterm elections?
Republicans suffered losses across the country in off-year elections. Do these results send a message about the Democratic Party? Here’s what we know.
The latest poll shows the Trump administration faces mounting criticism over the economy and cost of living, with a majority of respondents saying they want Democrats to take control of Congress after next year’s midterm elections.
In an NBC News poll released Nov. 9, two-thirds of registered voters said the Trump administration has not met their expectations in addressing inflation and the cost of living. Many Americans are also dissatisfied with the administration’s impact on the middle class, with 65% saying President Donald Trump has not lived up to their expectations.
President Trump’s approval rating in the poll was 43%, down 4 points from the same media’s March poll, but 55% said they did not approve of his job performance.
The numbers are in line with several recent surveys, which the New York Times calculates give the president an average rating of 42% approval and 55% disapproval. RealClearPolitics’ November 9 averages were similar, with 43% approval and 54% disapproval.
The survey is the latest to show voters are dissatisfied with the administration’s handling of the economy. Democrats capitalized on that frustration last week in the Nov. 4 election, when the party won key elections across the country.
Respondents to the NBC News survey said they would like to see Democrats lead by 8 points over Republicans in the new Congress in 2027, with 50% preferring Democratic control compared to 42% who want a Republican-led Congress. The leads for both parties in the Congressional vote in the NBC poll are the largest since the 2018 midterm elections, and the Democratic lead has increased by 7 points since March.
When it comes to the ongoing government shutdown, 49% say either Congressional Republicans or President Trump are to blame, while 42% say Congressional Democrats are to blame.
However, the survey found that the picture is not entirely rosy for Democrats. Only 28% of respondents had a positive view of the party, compared to 37% of Republicans. Republicans were seen as more competent on issues of crime and immigration, but Democrats outperformed on health care and democracy.
And while a majority of respondents expressed dissatisfaction with Republicans on the economy, they still held a one-point lead over Democrats in polls on the issue.
More broadly, 61% of survey respondents said the country is moving in the wrong direction, an increase of 7 points since March, the last time pollsters asked the question.
The poll was conducted among 1,000 registered voters from October 24-28. The margin of error is ± 3.1 percentage points.
Kathryn Palmer is USA TODAY’s political reporter. She can be reached at the following address: kapalmer@usatoday.com And to X@Kathryn Purml.
