CNN poll shows Democrats lead generic ballot by eight points ahead of midterms
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A CNN/SSRS poll finds Democrats ahead of Republicans by eight points among registered voters and enjoying higher enthusiasm, while voters express broad dissatisfaction with Congress.
A CNN poll conducted by SSRS, released less than 100 days before the midterm elections, shows Democrats leading Republicans by eight points on the generic ballot among registered voters. The survey also indicates a 20-point advantage for Democrats among voters who describe themselves as extremely motivated to vote.
The poll finds that 38% of respondents believe the country would be better off if Democrats controlled Congress, compared with 33% who think it would be worse, while 29% say it would make no difference.
Voter sentiment toward Congress remains negative, with a majority indicating that the chamber would improve if many incumbent members were replaced. Americans also criticize both parties for insufficient focus on cost-of-living issues, though 63% say the GOP is lagging more than the 52% who fault Democrats.
By a 10-point margin, respondents now view Democrats as the “party of change,” reversing a previous advantage held by Republicans. Perceptions of which party can “get things done” have narrowed, and roughly half of the public says neither party deserves those labels.
Among Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents, nearly 60% say their party needs major changes or reform. The same group is more likely than earlier in the year to feel closer to the Democratic Party, and many cite younger candidates, new leadership, and a stronger stance against President Donald Trump as improvements.
Opposition to Trump appears to be a unifying factor for Democrats: about 70% say their November vote will be a message against the president, compared with 41% of Republican-aligned voters who say their vote will support him. Six in 10 Democrats say they would be upset if their party nominated a candidate who supported key Trump policies, while only 18% of Republican-aligned adults would be upset by a candidate opposing those policies.
Support for Trump among Republicans has declined, with 56% now saying he has had a good effect on the party, down from 67% earlier in the year. About one-third of Republican-leaning voters say their party needs major changes, a view that is stronger among non-MAGA members (46%) than among those who identify with the Make America Great Again movement (17%).
On foreign policy, most Democratic-aligned adults say they would accept a candidate who supports cutting aid to Israel, whereas most Republicans would be less comfortable with that stance. Younger voters in both parties are more open to such a position than older voters.
The poll also notes mixed messages in the midterm campaigns. While Democrats have highlighted anti-corruption themes, the public is split on which party is actively fighting corruption. Similarly, Republicans’ focus on cultural issues receives comparable criticism to Democrats’ emphasis on race and gender topics.