Democrats gain momentum for 2026 midterm elections amid declining support for Donald Trump, new poll reveals

Democrats hold a narrow but meaningful edge over Republicans one year before the 2026 midterm elections, according to a new CNN poll conducted by SSRS. The survey shows 47% of registered voters favoring the Democratic candidate in their district, compared with 42% backing the Republican.

While the Democrats’ 5-point lead is smaller than the 11-point advantage they held a year before the 2018 midterms, it still signals a favorable trend amid growing discontent with President Donald Trump’s second-term performance.

Trump’s approval at a new low

President Trump’s approval rating has dropped to 37%, his lowest of the second term and matching the lowest point of his first term. His disapproval rating now stands at 63%, the highest of either presidency.

CNN’s poll Trump’s approval slightly higher at 41%, but both metrics confirm a steady decline across partisan and demographic groups since summer 2025.

Voter motivation favors Democrats

Democratic-leaning voters appear significantly more energized heading into 2026. About 67% of Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents say they are “extremely motivated” to vote, compared to 46% among Republican-aligned voters.

Those most concerned about the “state of democracy” are particularly fired up—82% of them report strong motivation to vote, far exceeding the 57% of those who cite the economy as their top issue.

Party image still weak but not costly

Despite internal dissatisfaction, Democrats are holding together electorally. Only 65% of Democratic-aligned voters have a favorable view of their party—compared to 80% of Republican-aligned voters with positive views of the GOP—but even those with unfavorable opinions remain loyal.

Among Democrats who view their party negatively, 93% still plan to vote for the Democratic candidate, and 71% say they are highly motivated to turn out.

Public discontent with Trump’s leadership

The survey finds widespread dissatisfaction with Trump’s handling of major issues.

State of the nation: 68% say things are going badly in the US.

Economy: 72% describe conditions as poor; 61% believe Trump’s policies have made things worse.

Government shutdown: 81% view it as a major problem or crisis, with 61% disapproving of Trump’s response.

Most Americans (56%) also believe his foreign policy has damaged America’s standing, while 57% think he’s gone too far in deporting undocumented immigrants.

Concerns over Democracy and Presidential power

A quarter of Americans (26%) say the state of democracy is the most important issue facing the country, ranking highest among Democrats (45%).

Meanwhile, 61% believe Trump has overused presidential power, a nine-point jump since February. Dissatisfaction is also evident over his decision to dismantle the East Wing of the White House—54% oppose it, while just 10% approve.

Congress faces criticism too

Most Americans (55%) say Republicans in Congress are doing too much to support Trump, up from 48% earlier this year. However, 63% of GOP voters say their party’s level of support for Trump is “about right.”

On the other side, 69% of Democratic-aligned voters believe Democrats in Congress aren’t doing enough to oppose Trump, revealing continued tension within the party’s base.

Here’s a bar chart summarizing the key takeaways showing Democrats’ 5-point lead, Trump’s approval/disapproval gap, voter motivation levels, and widespread public discontent with the state of the nation and government handling:

About the poll

The CNN poll, conducted by SSRS from October 27–30, 2025, surveyed 1,245 adults—including 954 registered voters—online and by phone. The margin of sampling error is ±3.1 percentage points for all adults and ±3.6 points for registered voters.

Key takeaways from CNN–SSRS poll:

Democrats lead by 5 points in the 2026 generic congressional ballot (47%–42%).

Trump’s approval falls to 37%, his lowest of the second term; disapproval hits 63%.

Voter motivation favors Democrats — 67% of Democrats “extremely motivated” vs 46% of Republicans.

Top concern: 26% of Americans cite the state of democracy as the most important issue.

Public discontent with Trump: 68% say things are going badly; 72% rate the economy as poor.

61% believe Trump has overused presidential power, up nine points since February.

Congress also under fire: 55% say Republicans back Trump too much; 69% of Democrats think their party isn’t opposing him enough.

Despite low party favorability (65%), most Democrats remain loyal — 93% still plan to vote blue.