Trump approval hits record low of 31% as Democrats open 12-point lead ahead of midterms

US President Donald Trump’s approval rating has fallen to a record low of 31 per cent, while Democrats have widened their lead over Republicans to 12 percentage points ahead of the Nov 3 congressional elections, a Reuters/Ipsos poll shows.

The four-day poll, which closed on Monday, found that 47 per cent of registered voters would choose Democratic candidates if congressional elections were held today, compared with 35 per cent for Republicans.

The Democratic lead was the widest recorded during the current election cycle and could strengthen the party’s hopes of taking control of the House of Representatives and the Senate.

A Reuters/Ipsos poll two weeks earlier put the Democrats seven points ahead, at 44 per cent against 37 per cent for Republicans.

The latest findings point to growing dissatisfaction with Trump’s economic management, with 68 per cent of Americans disapproving of his handling of the economy, including 37 per cent of self-identified Republicans.

Respondents also favoured Democrats over Republicans as the party better equipped to manage the economy, by 40 per cent to 33 per cent.

Women were a key factor behind the widening Democratic advantage, with 50 per cent saying they would vote Democratic compared with 32 per cent who favoured Republicans. Men also leaned towards Democrats, although by a narrower margin.

Trump’s approval rating fell one percentage point from two weeks earlier, placing it at its lowest level in either of his presidential terms.

His popularity has suffered since he ordered military strikes on Iran alongside Israel in February, a conflict that drove up petrol prices and put further pressure on household finances.

Losing control of either chamber of Congress would complicate Trump’s ability to advance his legislative agenda during the final two years of his term.

However, national generic-ballot polls do not capture the state-by-state and district-by-district dynamics that determine control of Congress, where Republicans retain structural advantages in some contests.

The online survey covered 1,679 US adults, including 1,279 registered voters. The margin of error was two percentage points for all respondents and three points for registered voters. - October 20, 2026