US midterms 2026: What polls reveal about Democratic, Republican voters

Americans will vote in the US midterm elections on Tuesday, with the economy, the cost of living, and immigration among the top problems.

Key points

• While petrol and energy rates worried 81 percent of Democrats and 65 percent of Republicans, healthcare costs concerned 80 percent of Democrats and 57 percent of Republicans.
• In the Marist poll, 91 percent of probable Democratic voters were enthusiastic or highly enthusiastic, compared with 86 percent of Republicans and 76 percent of Independents.
• According to PEW, 82 percent of Democrats and Democratic leaners were concerned regarding food and consumer costs, compared with 62 percent of Republicans and Republican leaners.
• Regarding 85 percent of Democratic Party supporters considered the future of democracy highly significant, compared with 69 percent of Republicans.
• In the Pew Research Centre survey, 91 percent of Democratic respondents and those who leaned Democratic believed Trump's economic policies had created things worse.

In an NBC poll published on Sunday, 75 percent of respondents stated they were dissatisfied with the state of the US economy, and 51 percent noted they were dissatisfied with their personal financial situation.

Other surveys conducted in October additionally offer a look into how voters from both parties felt concerning their finances and which problems mattered most. Here is what we know. What problems matter most to Democrats and Republicans?

Notably, the economy is the main concern for US voters, but Democrats and Republicans vary on the importance of problems like healthcare, immigration, and crime.

In practice, a Pew Research Centre survey, conducted between September 28 and October 4, suggested that 84 percent of registered voters considered the economy particularly notable to their midterm vote. It was the top matter for 82 percent of respondents who prefer Republican candidates, and 88 percent for those who back Democrats. Nevertheless, the two groups differed on other matters.

Regarding 85 percent of Democratic Party supporters considered the future of democracy highly significant, compared with 69 percent of Republicans. Healthcare was a priority for 82 percent of Democrats, compared with 53 percent of Republicans.

Republican supporters were more concerned regarding immigration, with 72 percent saying it was highly significant, compared with 53 percent of Democrats.

Violent crime was additionally more notable to Republican supporters, at 64 percent, compared with 37 percent Democrats.

In practice, a KFF survey, conducted by the Kaiser Family Foundation, an independent nonprofit, from September 16 to 21, suggested 42 percent of registered voter respondents trusted Democrats more to handle healthcare costs, compared with 22 percent who trusted Republicans.

While 25 percent preferred Republicans, on the cost of living, 39 percent trusted Democrats more. What grade do Democrats and Republicans offer Trump's second term?

Views of President Trump and his economic policies remain divided along party lines.

Among Republican supporters, 39 percent remarked his policies had improved the economy, 35 percent stated they created conditions worse, and 25 percent remarked they had little effect.

In the November 1 NBC News poll, 40 percent of registered-voter respondents approved of Trump's overall job performance, compared with 60 percent who disapproved. How do Democrats and Republicans feel regarding the economy?

Americans are concerned regarding rising costs, but Democrats are more probable than Republicans to express negative feelings regarding economic conditions.

In an October Pew Research survey, 36 percent of Republicans rated the US economy as excellent or good, compared with just 9 percent of Democrats or Democrat-leaning voters.

Nevertheless, the majority in both groups expressed concern concerning the cost of essential goods and services.

For context, a Fox News poll published on October 14 additionally had 74 percent of registered voter respondents rating the economy negatively, and 60 percent identified the cost of living as their biggest economic concern.

For context, the November 1 NBC News poll discovered that 53 percent of Republican respondents were dissatisfied with the state of the economy.

In practice, the Pew Research Center additionally identified that abortion and gun policy were less central to Democratic respondents in comparison with 2022. Among Republican voters, education policy and energy policy were less significant than they were four years ago. Are Americans satisfied with their financial situation?

In the NBC poll, 51 percent of registered voters were dissatisfied with their personal financial situation, compared with 49 percent who were satisfied.

It was the first time in 30 years of NBC polling that dissatisfaction with personal finances outweighed satisfaction.

In an NPR/PBS News/Marist poll on October 19-20, 38 percent of probable voters stated their finances had gotten worse over the past year, 44 percent noted they had remained concerning the same, and 15 percent stated they had improved.

Notably, a total of 51 percent of Democratic probable voters stated their finances had deteriorated, compared with 21 percent of Republicans.

In a Reuters/Ipsos survey conducted from September 30 to October 5, 71 percent of Democrats and 57 percent of Republicans remarked their incomes had not kept pace with rising costs.

Eric Ham, a former Democratic congressional staffer and Senate national security adviser, remarked that Trump's global tariffs and the US-Israel war on Iran had went on to the financial pressure on American households.

"Americans are paying more not just in terms of self-inflicted wounds that President Donald Trump implemented through tariffs, but also if you look at this war of choice, " Ham informed Al Jazeera. Are Democrats or Republicans more enthusiastic regarding voting? Democratic voters documented higher enthusiasm concerning participating in the elections.

John Fury, a former Republican congressional staffer, remarked the final days of campaigning were focused on turnout.

"This is not a persuasion election. This is a get-out-the base election, " Fury remarked.

In a KFF survey, Democratic candidate supporters were 25 percentage points more probable than Republican supporters to describe themselves as "more motivated" than usual to vote (63 percent versus 38 percent).

In practice, the November 1 NBC News poll additionally noted high interest in the elections, with 70 percent of registered voters rating their interest at nine or 10 on a 10-point scale. Who are Americans planning to vote for?

Surveys conducted in the final weeks before the election suggested voters preferred Democratic candidates or Democratic control of Congress over Republicans.

In practice, an NBC poll conducted on October 28-30 and published on November 1 suggested that 52 percent of registered voters preferred Democratic control of Congress compared with 45 percent who preferred Republican control.

Similarly, the Reuters/Ipsos poll conducted from October 22 to October 26 suggested that 53 percent of probable voters would vote for or lean towards the Democratic candidates in their district, compared with 44 percent who backed Republicans.

These surveys measure voting sentiment, but they do not reflect the results of the individual races.

In short, US midterms 2026: What polls reveal about Democratic, Republican voters is the central thread here, and readers can expect follow-up reporting as the picture becomes clearer.