Rising prices and a sense that Washington is not holding the president accountable shaped how many American voters cast their ballots in the 2026 midterms, according to an AP Voter Poll that surveyed midterm voters in all 50 states. The findings point to inflation as a central burden for Republicans and to broad concerns about the direction Donald Trump has set for the country.
The survey was conducted from Oct. 19 to Nov. 3, with interviews in Alaska beginning Oct. 22. It was carried out by SSRS for AP, ABC, CBS, CNN, Fox, NBC and Versant. The margin of error for the full sample is plus or minus 0.6 percentage points.
Grocery and gasoline costs were widely felt across the electorate, and inflation weighed most heavily on Republicans, according to the poll. In Texas, about 2 in 10 voters said inflation had caused them severe hardship. About three-quarters of those Texans backed Democrat James Talarico, a result that underscores how cost-of-living pressures translated into support for the opposing party.
Economic judgments were also tied closely to the president. Two-thirds of voters said Trump's policies had made the economy worse, and about 8 in 10 of those voters backed the Democratic candidate. The poll also found that more than half of voters described government corruption as a crucial factor in their vote for Congress, and about two-thirds said Trump has the wrong priorities.
Trust in the institutions meant to check the presidency was low. About 7 in 10 voters said Congress is not effectively checking presidential power. That sentiment cut across the political divide and helps explain why the party in power in Washington faced pressure at the ballot box.
The Democratic Party itself did not enjoy broad enthusiasm. Its favorability rating was only about half of voters, and about 2 in 10 Democratic backers viewed their own party negatively. Voters appear to have been drawn to the opposition more by discontent with the incumbent than by strong affection for Democrats.
Candidate-level findings in several contested races illustrate the same dynamics. In Maine, Republican Susan Collins kept an edge on experience, while Democrat Graham Platner won over voters seeking change. In South Carolina, Republican Darline Graham faced doubts about her experience, cited by about 6 in 10 voters. In Texas, Republican Ken Paxton was seen as lacking character by about two-thirds of voters. In North Carolina, Republican Michael Whatley was viewed as too closely aligned with Trump by about 6 in 10 voters.
The political consequences reached beyond the voting booth. Forbes reported that shares of Trump Media fell about 11 percent in premarket trading after Democratic wins were declared, a market reaction tied to the outcome of the election.