WASHINGTON, November 3, 2026 — Nearly half of Americans who intend to vote or have already cast their ballots in the 2026 midterm elections see their vote as a statement against President Donald Trump, according to a new Reuters/Ipsos survey released as voters head to the polls.
The nationwide survey found that 48% viewed their vote as opposition to Trump, while 25% described it as support for the president. Another 25% said Trump was not a factor in their decision.
The findings suggest that the president is a central consideration for many voters despite not appearing on the ballot himself. But they do not establish which party will control Congress when the votes are counted.
The economy remains voters’ leading concern
The same survey found that 48% of registered voters identified the cost of living as the single most important issue influencing their congressional vote.
Concerns about democratic norms followed at 26%, while immigration was the top issue for 13%.
The numbers reflect the importance of household finances as Americans decide who should control the House of Representatives and Senate during the final two years of Trump’s presidency.
The poll also found that 49% of US adults believed their household finances had deteriorated since Trump returned to the White House in January 2025. Only 13% reported an improvement, while 37% said their financial circumstances were largely unchanged.
Trump’s approval stands at 32%
According to Ipsos, Trump’s presidential job approval rating was 32% among the adults surveyed.
A separate generic congressional ballot question found Democrats ahead by 52% to 44% among likely voters, measuring those who said they would vote for or lean toward each party’s candidate in their district.
That is a national polling measure, not a prediction of congressional seat totals. Individual Senate races and the geography of House districts can produce outcomes that differ from the national vote.
The distinction is particularly important on Election Day, when survey estimates must not be confused with ballots actually counted.
War with Iran adds another dimension
Foreign policy is also influencing political attitudes.
According to Reuters, 55% of voters surveyed said US military action against Iran had not been worth its costs, compared with 25% who considered it worthwhile. Another 18% were uncertain.
Trump has defended the military campaign as necessary to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons. The survey nevertheless shows substantial public concern about the costs of the conflict.
What the findings mean for the midterms
The Reuters/Ipsos findings bring together several different measures: attitudes toward Trump, voters’ most important issues, satisfaction with household finances and preferences for congressional candidates.
They should not be treated as interchangeable. Saying that a vote is against Trump does not necessarily mean that respondent supports a Democratic candidate in every race.
Similarly, a national generic ballot lead does not establish who will control either chamber of Congress.
The election will determine which party holds congressional committee leadership, controls the legislative agenda and, in the Senate, exercises confirmation authority over presidential nominees.
For Trump, those institutional consequences could shape the remaining years of his presidency.
Poll methodology
The Reuters/Ipsos survey was conducted from October 29 to November 2, 2026, among 1,765 US adults using Ipsos’ probability-based KnowledgePanel.
Ipsos reported a margin of sampling error of approximately ±2.4 percentage points for the full adult sample. The margin is higher for subgroups, including registered voters, for whom Reuters reported approximately three percentage points.
The survey was conducted before Election Day and is not an exit poll.
Votendi is following the 2026 US midterm elections, including congressional polling, key Senate races and the battle for control of the House.
For confirmed vote counts and race calls, follow Votendi’s live election results coverage.
Sources: Reuters, November 3, 2026; Ipsos, November 2, 2026.
