By Islam El-Sakka
US voters have identified the economy and the state of democracy as the most important issues heading into the 2026 midterm elections, according to a large-scale election day survey.
Economy leads voter concerns
The poll of more than 79,000 voters found 39% ranked the economy as their top issue, while 32% cited the state of democracy. Immigration followed at 14%, with healthcare, foreign policy and crime trailing further behind.
Negative outlook on national economy
Three-quarters of respondents described the national economy as “not so good or poor,” while only 25% viewed it as “excellent or good.” On personal finances, 44% said their family situation had worsened over the past two years, 38% said it was unchanged and 18% reported improvement.
Majority say Trump policies worsened economy
About 65% of those surveyed said President Donald Trump’s policies had worsened economic conditions, compared with 28% who said they improved conditions and 8% who saw no impact. When asked if expressing support or opposition to Trump motivated their vote, 43% cited opposition, 41% said he was not a factor and 16% cited support.
Widespread dissatisfaction with country’s direction
Nearly four in ten voters (38%) said they were angry about the way things are going in the US, with another 37% dissatisfied. Only 18% expressed satisfaction and 7% enthusiasm, indicating a majority unhappy with the current state of the country.
Inflation causing hardship for most
Almost eight in ten voters (79%) reported that inflation had caused severe or moderate hardship for their families over the past year. A majority (59%) said they were “very concerned” about fuel costs, while 58% gave the same response about food and grocery prices. About 62% attributed higher-than-usual prices more to Trump’s policies, while 38% pointed to factors beyond his control.
Poll methodology
The survey, officially called the Voter Poll, was conducted by polling company SSRS on behalf of a consortium of news organizations. It represents a sample of American voters in the run-up to the election and includes exit polling of both early and election-day voters. Figures are estimates and may be updated as more data arrives.
