By Salma El-Sakka
The cost of living has emerged as the dominant issue for American voters heading into Tuesday's congressional midterm elections, according to a nationwide Reuters/Ipsos poll conducted from Thursday through Monday. Nearly half of registered voters, 48%, identified the cost of living as the top factor in their voting decision, far outpacing democratic norms at 26% and immigration at 13%.
Economy Dominates Voter Priorities
The survey of 1,765 U.S. adults, with a margin of error of three percentage points, shows a clear hierarchy of concerns. While the cost of living leads by a wide margin, the poll also captures voter sentiment on the direction of the country and the performance of the Republican president.
Household Finances Worsen Under Trump
Almost half of respondents, 49%, said their household finances have deteriorated since January 2025 when Donald Trump returned to power, compared with 13% who reported improvement and 37% who saw no change. Among Hispanic voters, 54% said their finances had suffered, while only 10% said they had improved.
Iran War and Fuel Prices Weigh on Voters
Fuel prices have surged since the start of the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran in February. Only 25% of voters believe the military action has been worth the cost, while 55% say it has not, and 18% are unsure. Trump has argued the war was necessary to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons.
Midterms Seen as Referendum on Trump
The poll found that 48% of those who planned to vote or had already done so viewed their ballot as a vote against Trump, compared with 25% who saw it as a vote for him. Another 25% said Trump was not a factor in their decision. The president had urged supporters to vote as if he were on the ballot to energize the Republican Party.
Election Integrity and Billionaire Influence
While 77% of voters expressed confidence that their ballots will be counted, 45% believe voter fraud is widespread. A bipartisan majority, including 93% of Democrats and 71% of Republicans, consider it inappropriate for billionaires to contribute tens of millions of dollars to influence federal elections.
Social and Technology Issues
On cultural issues, 38% of voters said keeping transgender girls and women out of women's sports was very important or the most important issue, while 25% said the same about protecting transgender rights. Limiting construction of data centers used to power AI was rated very important by 42% of registered voters.
Party Ideas and Preferences
Poll respondents narrowly favored Democrats over Republicans for this year's congressional elections. Some 43% said Democrats had at least some good ideas, compared with 39% who said the same of Republicans, though the electorate remains divided on which party offers better solutions.
