President Donald Trump's approval rating has fallen sharply and Democrats now lead in the contest for control of Congress, according to new polling released two weeks before election day in the United States. More than ten million voters have already cast ballots in states where early voting has begun, a sign that turnout could be high in a midterm cycle widely seen as a referendum on the president's second term.
The survey places Trump's job approval at a low point and shows Democratic candidates ahead in the congressional generic ballot. It also indicates that Democrats are leading in every one of the battleground states that will decide the balance of power in the House and Senate. The findings suggest that the president's standing is weighing on Republican candidates in the most competitive districts and states, where control of Congress is likely to be settled.
The early-voting figure of more than ten million ballots is significant because it shows that a large share of the electorate is engaging before the official election day. Early voting has become an increasingly important feature of American elections, and both parties watch the numbers closely for signs of enthusiasm among their supporters. A strong early turnout can shape the final result and the strategies campaigns pursue in the closing days.
The midterm elections will determine whether Republicans retain their majorities in the House and Senate or whether Democrats gain the seats needed to take control. In the American system, a president's party typically loses ground in midterm elections, and the current polling suggests that pattern may hold. The outcome will affect the legislative agenda, the confirmation of judges and officials, and the balance between the White House and Congress for the remainder of Trump's term.
The polling also carries broader implications for the political climate in the United States. Approval ratings are a measure of public confidence in the president's leadership, and a sustained decline can weaken a president's ability to rally support for his priorities. For religious and civic communities across the country, the election will shape debates over education, health care, immigration, and the role of government in public life, questions that often divide voters along moral and cultural lines as much as partisan ones.
With two weeks remaining, the campaigns are expected to concentrate on the contested states identified in the survey. Both parties will seek to mobilize their bases and persuade the remaining undecided voters, while the early-voting totals will be watched as an indicator of momentum. The final result will not be known until the ballots are counted, but the current polling offers a clear picture of the political terrain on which the midterms will be fought.