A strong majority of voters say President Donald Trump is falling short at home and abroad, and most want major change in the November midterm elections, according to a new AP-NORC poll released Thursday.
The survey was conducted Oct. 8-12, less than four weeks before Election Day, and sampled 925 registered voters. Pollsters found Democratic voters more enthusiastic about casting ballots than Republicans. About three-quarters of Democrats call voting in the midterms “extremely” important, compared with roughly 6 in 10 Republicans.
Republicans have controlled Congress for the past two years. About half of registered voters now say they would prefer Democrats control the House or the Senate, while roughly 4 in 10 want Republicans in charge and 15% are undecided.
The economy and cost of living top the list of issues for about 8 in 10 voters. About two-thirds said healthcare and the war in Iran are among their top concerns. Nearly 8 in 10 registered voters disapprove of how Trump is handling the cost of living, and only 44% of Republicans approve of his performance on that issue.
Enthusiasm for Democrats is not overwhelming, however. About 4 in 10 voters view the party favorably, roughly similar to the Republican Party’s standing, though about 6 in 10 view the GOP unfavorably. Independents are far more likely to view Republicans negatively than Democrats.
The poll has a margin of sampling error of plus or minus 4.2 percentage points for registered voters.
