CNN Midterm Poll: Trump's Approval Hits a New Low of 32% as Democrats Lead Republicans by 10 Points in Congressional Vote
According to CNN, a new CNN poll conducted by SSRS from October 15 to 18 puts President Donald Trump's approval rating at 32%, a new low for his current term. Among registered voters nationwide, Democrats lead Republicans 49% to 39% in voters' choice for their own congressional district, a 10-point advantage that is the largest for Democrats in CNN polling since just before the 2020 election. More than three-quarters of voters say they see this election as their chance to change things up in Washington.
According to CNN, Democrats lead among Black voters by 70 percentage points, among Latino voters by 40 points, among women by 21 points and among younger adults by 31 points, and they lead among independents by 15 points. Roughly six in 10 voters this year say their midterm vote will send a message about Trump, and by a 2-to-1 margin that message is one of opposition rather than support.
The economy and the cost of living are voters' most important issue. Among registered voters who call the economy their top concern, Democrats lead Republicans 46% to 37%. Trump's approval rating stands at 27% on the economy and 23% on inflation. Two-thirds of Americans, including roughly one-third of Republicans, say his policies have made economic conditions worse, and nearly seven in 10 say he has not gone far enough in trying to reduce prices. Behind economic concerns, the other top concerns are corruption in the government (19%) and the state of U.S. democracy (18%).
According to CNN, Trump's approval rating among Republicans is 74%, a new low in the poll, down from 88% in February 2025. Among White Americans without college degrees, his approval stands at 45%, down from 63% at the start of his second term. Just 30% of the public now says things in the United States are generally going well and 26% call economic conditions good; before the 2018 midterms those figures were 55% and 69%. Asked about a Democratic win, 41% of voters say the country would be better off if Democrats won control of Congress, 37% say it would be worse off and 22% say it would not make any difference. CNN noted that mid-decade redistricting and other factors could limit the seat gains a national margin of that size would produce.
The CNN poll was conducted by SSRS from October 15 to 18 among a random national sample of 1,701 U.S. adults drawn from a probability-based panel, including 1,206 registered voters; surveys were conducted online or by telephone with a live interviewer. Results for the full sample have a margin of sampling error of plus or minus 2.9 percentage points, and 3.3 points among registered voters. About 13% of voters say they have already cast their ballot, breaking 70% to 29% for the Democratic candidate; voters who have yet to vote divide 46% for the Democrat to 41% for the Republican. Election Day for the 2026 midterms is November 3.
Related: America's Electoral System (4): The Midterms: What Is on the Ballot on November 3, 2026
Related: Trump's Approval Falls to a Record-Low 33% in New Polls, Two Weeks Before the Midterms
Published by GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
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