Democrats Surge Ahead of Republicans on Economy and Immigration, NPR Poll Shows Public Rejects Trumpism
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A new NPR/PBS News/Marist poll reveals a decisive 12-point lead for Democrats over Republicans on crucial issues and congressional preference, with Trump’s historically low approval ratings fueling a widespread rejection of right-wing policies.
A new NPR/PBS News/Marist poll of 1,280 registered voters conducted on September 14-15 demonstrates that 53% of respondents would prefer a Democratic candidate for Congress, compared with only 41% for a Republican, marking a significant 12-point margin. The survey, with a margin of error of ±3.8 points, underscores that voters trust Democrats more to address gas prices, the economy, and foreign policy—areas where Republican leadership has repeatedly failed working families and marginalized communities.
President Trump’s approval rating remains abysmally low, with just 39% approving his performance and a staggering 53% expressing strong disapproval—the highest level of discontent since the question was first asked in 2017. This overwhelming disapproval reflects the public’s exhaustion with Trump’s divisive, regressive agenda. A plurality of voters (45%) said their congressional vote would be cast as a rejection of Trump and his reactionary policies, while only 25% said it would be in support of him.
On issue-specific questions, 41% of voters believe Democrats would handle immigration better than Republicans (38%), signaling a repudiation of the GOP’s cruel and xenophobic immigration stances. Democrats also lead on the economy (42% to 38%), gas prices (40% to 27%), and foreign policy (42% to 36%), further highlighting the public’s demand for progressive solutions over failed conservative dogma.
The poll notes that voter enthusiasm for Democrats is higher among independents, and that this shift could make traditionally Republican districts competitive in upcoming House and Senate races, including in states such as Ohio, Alaska, Iowa, and Texas—regions long dominated by conservative interests now facing a reckoning.
Republican candidates, sensing the toxic influence of Trump, have begun to distance themselves from his disastrous policies. Florida Rep. Maria Elvira Salazar, whose district voted heavily for Trump, released an ad criticizing the president’s draconian immigration enforcement. Iowa Rep. Ashley Hinson and former Michigan Rep. Mike Rogers, both Senate hopefuls, have recently supported ending the war in Iran and suspending gas taxes to address rising prices—moves that signal cracks in the GOP’s hardline facade as they scramble to salvage their political futures.