Poll: Voters want Congress to be a check on Trump, trust Democrats more on issues

Voters have record low trust in Republicans' ability to handle their top issues like immigration and rising prices, according to the latest Strength In Numbers/Verasight poll shared with NPR.

The poll also finds a strong majority of voters want the next Congress to undo President Trump's agenda — or act as a check on his power — on policies like tariffs and trade, health care and immigration.

Less than two weeks out from Election Day, voters say they'd prefer to elect a Democrat to Congress over a Republican by a double-digit margin among registered voters (52% to 41%) and likely voters (54% to 42%).

The survey of 2,028 respondents was conducted Oct. 13-19 and has a margin of sampling error of 2.2 percentage points, meaning results could be about 2.2 points higher or lower.

Trump's job approval sits at near-record lows for his second term, with just 34% approving of his performance and 62% disapproving, with 50% strongly disapproving.

G. Elliott Morris, author of the Strength In Numbers newsletter and CEO of polling company Wave Polling and Research, said the latest poll explains the current challenges with the political landscape Republicans face.

"Trump's ratings hit new lows on seven of the 10 issues we've tracked since May 2025, from jobs and trade to immigration and border security, and he's now underwater on every issue we ask about," Morris said. "The president's policies have even harmed Republicans, with voters now more likely to say they trust Democrats to handle the issues of immigration and the economy."

Among adults, prices and inflation are collectively mentioned far and away as the most important problem facing the country today, with 63% of respondents saying it was one of their top three most important problems and 39% listing it first. Other top issues include jobs and the economy, health care, elections and democracy and immigration.

Taken all together, the sentiment of the electorate explains why Democrats and Republicans are spending big in House and Senate races stretching deep into conservative territory where Trump performed well in 2024.

Americans have soured on Trump and Republicans

Voters chose to give Republicans control of the White House and Congress in the 2024 election, and at least some of them say they regret their choice. According to the poll, nearly one in 10 people who said they voted in the 2024 presidential race regret their choice, including almost 15% of self-described Trump voters and 15% who backed a third-party candidate.

In May 2025, the Strength in Numbers/Verasight poll found voters trusted Republicans more than Democrats on immigration and deportations by an average of 15 points. Now, they trust Democrats by a narrow one point margin.

In every measure that the poll has tracked, Republicans have lost ground in the last year and a half, and only hold a slim advantage on crime and public safety issues and border security.

When asked which party voters trust to handle their personal top issue, Democrats hold a 47-35 advantage, a nearly 10-point jump since May 2025 and the widest gap measured.

The midterms are a referendum

Many polls, including the September NPR/PBS News/Marist survey, find that the 2026 midterm choices are best viewed in relation to Trump rather than a pure binary vote of support for the Democratic or Republican candidates.

Only 25% of respondents said it was more important to elect a Congress that will help Trump pass his agenda, compared to 58% who said it was about electing a Congress to act as a check and balance on Trump.

Two of every five voters surveyed said their decision would mostly be a statement against Trump and his agenda, compared to one in five who said it would be a statement of support. For 20% of voters surveyed, their choice would be about specific issues and candidates in their district.

On the issues of tariffs and trade, health care, foreign policy, elections and voting, government spending and social programs, immigration and deportations and artificial intelligence, a majority of those surveyed want a Congress to roll back or act as a check on Trump's stances.

More voters think the Democratic Party cares more about people like them than Republicans, and 20% say neither party does.