Trump approval up from record low, but outlook sours for Republicans, Reuters/Ipsos poll finds

Asked which party they would vote for if the congressional elections were held today in what is known as a generic ballot poll, 44% picked Democrats and 37% picked Republicans. The 7-point gap was the widest since Trump returned to the White House in January 2025. For Republicans, losing control of either chamber could complicate Trump's agenda in the last two years of his term.

Generic ballot polls are national polls that provide an overall view of which party poll respondents want to see in charge in Congress. While these polls provide a view of national public sentiment, they do not capture all the nuances of the state-by-state and district-by-district contests that determine control of the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives, contests in which Republicans hold some structural advantages.