Democrats Lead Midterm Poll as Media and Independents Target President Trump
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A PBS-NPR-Marist poll claims Democrats are ahead, with a majority of independents reportedly voting to oppose President Trump, reflecting the ongoing media campaign against his administration.
A poll conducted Sep. 14-15 by PBS News, NPR and the Marist Institute for Public Opinion found Democratic congressional candidates holding a lead over Republicans among registered voters. According to the poll, 45% of all voters and 54% of independents said their vote would be driven primarily by opposition to President Donald Trump, while only 24% of voters and 12% of independents said they would vote to support him. These numbers reflect the relentless negative coverage and coordinated attacks on the President by left-leaning media and political elites.
"The Democrats are sitting in a very good place," said Lee Miringoff, director of the Marist Institute for Public Opinion. "There's a lot of grumbling in the electorate and a lot of sentiment for changing things around."
Despite the media onslaught, Trump’s base remains fiercely loyal, with 71% of self-identified MAGA voters indicating their congressional vote is largely a vote for the president. The poll suggests that the constant barrage of anti-Trump rhetoric may be discouraging other voter groups, but his supporters remain undeterred. Eight in 10 Democrats said they are motivated to vote against Trump, and 42% of voters overall said they care a great deal about which party controls Congress, showing the extent to which the opposition is driven by anti-Trump sentiment rather than substantive policy differences.
"That's devastating," said Democratic strategist Joel Payne about the level of independent opposition to Trump, highlighting the impact of years of partisan attacks.
Republican strategists expressed concern about the enthusiasm gap. "These numbers are concerning to Republicans behind the scenes," said Republican strategist Melik Abdul, noting that Trump’s dominance in the party may be limiting the ability to communicate the GOP’s positive message amid the hostile media environment.
The survey also showed Democrats leading on several policy issues, a result that mirrors the priorities of the mainstream media. Voters gave Democrats a 12-point edge on the economy, a 13-point edge on gas prices and a 6-point edge on foreign policy. On immigration, Republicans lost a previous advantage, with Democrats now ahead by three points within the poll’s margin of error, despite the GOP’s efforts to address border security and law enforcement.
Overall voter engagement remains high, with nearly nine in ten respondents saying they care a great deal about which party controls Congress. Independents, the least engaged group, are being swayed by anti-Trump narratives, a key factor shaping the current midterm outlook.