Republican voter enthusiasm gap: Trump’s biggest 2026 problem isn’t Democrats, but it's his own voters who seem to be losing interest-here's what the new Reuters/Ipsos poll shows

The biggest problem facing Donald Trump and Republicans ahead of the 2026 midterms may not be Democrats. It could be the voters who helped put Trump back in the White House. A new Reuters/Ipsos poll found that Trump’s 2024 voters are far less excited about voting this time around, raising fresh questions about Republican turnout. With the 2026 midterms just weeks away, this one number from a new Reuters/Ipsos poll is getting attention.

Why are Trump voters less enthusiastic about the midterms?

The Reuters/Ipsos poll was conducted over six days and surveyed 4,506 U.S. adults online. It found that Trump voters are still largely planning to support Republican candidates, but they appear less settled and less motivated to vote than Harris voters. Only 30% of voters who backed Donald Trump in 2024 say they are “very enthusiastic” about voting this November.


Among voters who supported Kamala Harris, that figure is 48%. That 18-point gap could matter in a midterm election, when turnout is usually lower than during a presidential race. The poll also points to growing frustration among some Trump voters and a shift among men, a group that has been an important part of the Republican coalition, as per a report by Reuters.

About 13% of Trump voters said they were unsure who they would support in a congressional race. Among Harris voters, that number was 7%. The difference is also clear when voters are asked what is driving their enthusiasm. Among those who said they were enthusiastic about voting, 62% said they were excited about voting in opposition to Trump. Only 36% said they were eager to support him.

Republican strategist Charlie Gerow said the numbers show why turnout will be important for his party.

“The enthusiasm has to be ginned up among Republicans because turnout is what's going to determine the outcome of these midterm elections,” Gerow said.

For some Trump voters, however, the issue appears to go beyond simply being less excited about the election.

Linda Rivera, a 46-year-old Trump voter in Pennsylvania, said she would probably vote Republican if she votes at all. But she told Reuters that she feels disconnected from both parties.

“I have lost ​faith in the voting process,” she told Reuters. “I have lost faith in both parties. Not just one.”

What is happening with Trump's support?

The Reuters/Ipsos survey found that Trump's approval rating stands at 32%, a record low first recorded in a September Reuters/Ipsos survey. The poll also found that support for Trump has dropped across major demographic groups since he returned to office in January 2025. One of the more notable changes is among men.

Donald Trump won men by 12 points in the 2024 election, according to a Pew Research analysis. But in the latest Reuters/Ipsos poll, men said they would favor Democratic candidates over Republicans in a congressional race by 43% to 39%. That four-point Democratic advantage was the widest of Trump's second term. Men had generally favored Republicans in 2025, but since August they have mostly leaned Democratic, according to the poll.

The cost of living is also weighing heavily on voters. Reuters/Ipsos found it was the top issue for Americans deciding how they would vote, followed by democratic values and immigration.

Older voters remain an important Republican group. Voters aged 50 and older favor Republicans by 44% to 42%, although that is down from an eight-point Republican advantage in December.

Other polling has also shown a gap in voter motivation. A New York Times/Siena poll conducted in September found that 61% of Democrats were almost certain to vote, compared with 56% of Republicans.

An Angus Reid USA poll released in late September found Democrats leading Republicans by 16 points among registered voters asked about their House vote preference.



None of these numbers can determine what will happen on Election Day. But they do show where the parties stand in the polls and where the Republican Party faces a turnout challenge. For Donald Trump and Republicans, the question is whether supporters who remain unhappy or unmotivated will still turn out on November 3. For Democrats, the challenge is turning their current enthusiasm into actual votes.