TRUMP’S PUBLIC SUPPORT HITS HISTORIC LOW AS DEMOCRATS BUILD A 12-POINT MIDTERM LEAD
October 20, 2026
WASHINGTON, OCTOBER 19: US President Donald Trump’s approval rating has fallen to a record low of 31 per cent, according to a new Reuters/Ipsos poll, signalling growing public dissatisfaction as the country approaches its November 3 congressional midterm elections.
The four-day survey, which concluded on Monday, found that approval of Trump’s performance had declined by one percentage point compared with a poll conducted two weeks earlier. The latest figure marks the lowest approval rating recorded during either of his presidential terms.
Economic concerns, particularly rising petrol prices, appear to be weighing heavily on public sentiment. The poll found that 68 per cent of Americans disapproved of Trump’s handling of the economy, including 37 per cent of Republican respondents, indicating that dissatisfaction extends beyond the political opposition.
The survey also revealed a significant advantage for the Democratic Party in the nationwide congressional preference poll, commonly known as the generic ballot. Among registered voters, 47 per cent said they would support Democrats if the congressional elections were held immediately, compared with 35 per cent who favoured Republicans. The 12-point gap represents the Democrats’ widest advantage in the current election cycle.
Women voters showed a particularly strong preference for Democrats. The poll found that 50 per cent of women supported the Democratic Party, against 32 per cent who backed Republicans, highlighting a substantial difference in voter preference between the two parties.
The findings could strengthen Democratic hopes of gaining control of the US House of Representatives and the Senate. A loss of either chamber would create significant political difficulties for Trump, potentially limiting his ability to advance his legislative priorities during the final two years of his presidential term.
However, national polling does not necessarily determine the outcome of individual congressional contests. Control of the House and Senate depends on results across numerous districts and states, where local political conditions and electoral structures can favour particular candidates or parties. Republicans retain advantages in some of these contests despite the Democrats’ lead in the national preference survey.
The poll was conducted online among 1,679 US adults, including 1,279 registered voters. The margin of error was approximately two percentage points for the overall sample and three percentage points for registered voters.
With election day approaching, the survey presents a challenging political landscape for Trump and his Republican allies. Whether dissatisfaction over economic conditions and the president’s declining approval translates into electoral gains for Democrats will become clearer when Americans vote on November 3
