AP-NORC Poll Shows Voters Fed Up With the Status Quo and Giving President Trump Poor Marks Before Midterms
Select a version of the text written from a presumed ideological perspective. This is not the original text, but a hypothetical version — how someone with that viewpoint might have phrased it. Tapping the current version again will return to the original or select cleaned version.
A new AP-NORC poll shows most voters want major change and judge President Donald Trump harshly on the economy and cost of living, while Democratic voters are notably more energized ahead of the midterm election.
A recent AP-NORC poll conducted less than four weeks before the midterm election shows a strong majority of voters are fed up with the current direction and want significant change, while they view President Donald Trump negatively on core issues such as the economy and cost of living. About eight in ten respondents say the economy or cost of living is a top priority, and roughly two-thirds cite healthcare and the war in Iran as important concerns.
The survey also shows Democratic voters are more motivated to turn out, with three-quarters describing voting as "extremely" important compared with about six in ten Republicans. Overall, roughly two-thirds of registered voters consider voting "extremely" important.
Voter sentiment toward President Trump remains weak: only about one-third of all respondents have a favorable view of him, and a similar share approve of his performance. Approximately 80% disapprove of his handling of the cost of living, and three-quarters disapprove of his economic performance. Among Republican voters, approval for Trump on the economy stands at 54%, while only 44% approve of his handling of the cost of living.
"The world is going backwards. We can barely afford anything," said Diana Walker, a 65-year-old Democrat from Decatur, Georgia.
"I'm kind of tired of sending people there and nothing gets done," said Krista Kohles, a 70-year-old Republican from near Davey, Nebraska.
"Everything's going up," said DonnaJean Weber, a 72-year-old Republican from Manistee, Michigan, adding that she does not agree with all of Trump's tariff policies.
The poll also shows that about half of voters want "substantial change" and roughly three in ten want a "complete and total upheaval" in how the country is run. While Democrats and independents are more likely than Republicans to favor a full overhaul, 45% of Republican voters still say they want substantial change, underscoring the depth of frustration across the electorate.
Party favorability remains mixed: around 40% of voters have a favorable view of the Democratic Party, similar to the Republican Party, though about 60% view Republicans unfavorably. Independent voters are more likely to view Republicans negatively than Democrats.
The AP-NORC poll surveyed 1,119 adults, including 925 registered voters, from October 8-12 using NORC's AmeriSpeak Panel, with a margin of error of ±3.9 points for adults and ±4.2 points for registered voters.