Voter Concerns Split Over Potential Congressional Control Ahead of Midterms
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A CNBC poll finds Republican voters fear Democratic socialist policies and border security cuts, while Democratic voters worry about unchecked power for President Donald Trump and economic issues.
A new CNBC poll released ahead of the 2026 midterm election shows voters on both sides of the aisle are apprehensive about the opposing party gaining control of Congress. Republicans expressed concern that a Democratic Congress could pursue policies associated with the Democratic Socialists of America, weaken border security and raise taxes. Democrats said they fear President Donald Trump could exceed constitutional limits and that a Republican Congress might continue Immigration and Customs Enforcement deportations and military actions in Iran.
"That totally shows the polarization … and the fear that one side is going to completely undo the agenda of the other," said Ron Bonjean, a Republican strategist and co-founder of ROKK Solutions. He added, "Voters absolutely want change from the way things are going now, but they also don't want to go back to the way things were when Democrats ran Washington."
Lucas Holtz, a senior political advisor at the centrist think tank Third Way, warned that Democrats could lose support among Latino and working-class voters if they move too far left, noting, "They should not misread their mandate if they hope to retain the inroads that they're making this cycle with Latino voters, with working-class voters, who they have been hemorrhaging cycle after cycle."
Alex Jacquez, senior vice president of policy at the progressive Groundwork Collaborative, said the campaign messaging reflects voter anxieties, stating, "For Democrats, the main attack ads have been about DSA and the cultural issues that Republicans are trying to tie them to a far-left or radical movement. But the overall vibe of the election is still first and foremost about the economy, people tend to blame the president for prices and Congress for enabling him."
The survey, conducted Oct. 14-18 with 1,000 registered voters, asked respondents to select up to two concerns if either party controlled Congress. Affordability topped the list across the spectrum, while government corruption was a priority for Democrats and independents, and immigration and border security for Republicans. About 44% of all respondents feared Trump could operate beyond his constitutional power, and 28% were worried about the implementation of DSA policies.