Less than a month before the midterm elections, President Donald Trump's net approval rating is underwater in most states.
Trump has a negative net approval rating in 39 states, according to the latest figures. Republicans are concerned about losing control of Congress, and polls show Democrats gaining ground.
The data comes from Civiqs' rolling online tracker, based on 135,005 responses from registered voters collected between January 20, 2025, and October 8, 2026.
Key Points
- Trump has a negative net approval rating in 39 states, according to the latest Civiqs figures, including states with competitive Senate races such as Texas (-20), Iowa (- 21), Ohio (-18) and Alaska (-16).
- The president's highest net approval rating is in Wyoming (+14), North Dakota (+11) and West Virginia (+10).
- Trump's net approval rating has recently turned negative in several states where it was steadily positive until earlier this year.
Why It Matters
Republicans are seeking to retain control of Congress in November's midterm elections, with Democrats hoping to make gains in the Senate and House. If Democrats win both chambers, they could significantly restrict the president's ability to pass legislation during the final two years of his presidency.
Trump's negative net approval ratings across much of the country offer a snapshot of the political climate heading into the elections, although presidential approval does not predict how voters will cast their ballots in individual races.
Polls also consistently underestimated Trump's support ahead of the past three presidential elections, meaning his true levels of support could be higher than the latest polls reflect.
Trump’s Positive Approval Rating in 11 States
Trump's net approval rating is positive in 11 states, all of which are typically Republican-leaning.
His highest net approval rating is in Wyoming (+14), North Dakota (+11), West Virginia (+10) and Arkansas (+8).
The remaining states in which he has a net positive rating are by narrow margins, between +1 and +4.
Trump Underwater Ahead of Key Senate Races
Trump has a negative net approval rating in six states where Republicans hold Senate seats that Democrats seek to flip.
Trump's net approval rating is negative in Maine (-32), Texas (-20), Iowa (-21), Ohio (-18) and Alaska (-16). The Cook Political Report classifies these races as toss-ups.
While Trump lost Maine to then-Vice President Kamala Harris in the 2024 presidential election, he won the other four states by double-digit margins.
Democrats are also targeting North Carolina's Republican-held Senate seat, which the Cook Political Report rates as a likely Democratic win. Trump's net approval rating in the state is -18.
Michigan is the only state with a Democratic-held seat that Cook considers a toss-up. Trump's net approval rating in the Wolverine State is -26.
In Kansas, the only state with a toss-up Senate race to give the president a positive job rating, Trump's net approval rating is +1.
Red States Turn Negative on Trump
Trump's net approval is lower in every state than it was on January 20, 2025, when he took office for his second term.
His approval rating has recently turned negative in several states where it was steadily positive until earlier this year.
Tennessee (-4), Nebraska (-4) and Indiana (-6) had positive net approval ratings until July or August, while Louisiana (-10) and Kentucky (-12) were positive until March.
South Carolina (-9) hovered around zero in the first few months of the year before turning consistently negative in late March.
In Mississippi (-6), Trump's rating fluctuated around zero in the spring before remaining negative from June onward.
Contact Newsweek editors on this story: John Fitzpatrick and Shakeema Edwards.