Donald Trump approval ratings down due to cost of living, Democrats pin hope on military veterans to upset Republicans in US midterm elections

Donald Trump approval ratings have once again taken a hit just weeks before November 3 US midterm elections, according to a new AP-NORC poll that raises serious warning signs for the Republican Party at a critical moment. About 8 in 10 voters overall say the economy or the cost of living is among their top issues for the upcoming election, while about two-thirds say this about healthcare and the war in Iran. Other issues that are stronger for Trump — like immigration or crime — are lower priorities.

Poll survey finds that registered voters who identify as Democrats are more enthusiastic than Republican voters about casting a ballot. More voters want Democrats to win control of Congress and have a more negative view of Republicans.

Republicans have controlled Congress for the past two years, but about half of registered voters now say they’d prefer to see the Democratic Party control the House or the Senate. A smaller percentage, roughly 4 in 10, say they want the Republican Party to control each chamber, while 15 per cent are undecided.


Democrats vs Republicans

Less than a month before the final midterm votes are cast, the poll finds that Democratic voters are more motivated to vote. Overall, about two-thirds of registered voters say it’s “extremely" important to vote in the upcoming election, while about 2 in 10 say it’s “very" important.

But about three-quarters of Democratic voters say that voting in this November’s midterm elections is “extremely” important, compared with roughly 6 in 10 Republicans.

One thing is crystal clear on the eve of the 2026 midterms: Voters want change. About half of voters say they want “substantial change,” and roughly 3 in 10 want “complete and total upheaval” in the way the country is run.

Democrats and independents are much likelier than Republicans to want a full overhaul of the country’s direction. But even Republican voters are still looking for something different. Slightly fewer than half, 45 per cent, want substantial change, while 13 per cent want upheaval.

As anger over Iran war spreads, Democrats hope military veteran candidates can flip GOP seats Democrats are investing campaign cash in districts that have been longshots for years, counting on the unpopular war with Iran and upheaval in the armed forces to put more seats in play as the party pushes for control of the U.S. House. Democratic candidates who previously served in the military are running in Colorado, Florida, South Carolina and Virginia districts with significant veteran populations.

Although veterans hold all sorts of political beliefs, the population overall leans right — nearly 6 in 10 voted for Trump two years ago, according to AP VoteCast.

Donald Trump Faces Questions

Voters are deeply frustrated with Trump and his leadership on the issues they say matter most. Only about one-third of registered voters overall have a “very” or “somewhat” favorable view of the Republican president, and a similar share approve of his performance as president. Voters continue to be frustrated by the high cost of living, an issue that Trump vowed to address before winning a second term in the White House.

Nearly two years after his successful election, about 8 in 10 registered voters disapprove of how Trump is handling the cost of living, in line with a September AP-NORC poll. About three-quarters disapprove of his performance on the economy.

Even among Republican voters, only 44 per cent approve of Trump's performance on the cost of living, while 54 per cent approve of his leadership on the economy. That's a sharp contrast with other issues, like crime, on which Republican approval is much higher.

There are cracks in Trump's Republican base on other issues, too. Just 69 per cent of Republican voters support Trump on foreign policy as the war in Iran stretches into its eighth month, despite his promises that it would only last four or five weeks.