Democrats have erased the Republican Party's advantage on immigration, while opening double-digit leads on healthcare, inflation and the cost of living less than three weeks before the midterm elections, a new poll shows. The ABC News/Washington Post/Ipsos survey, conducted October 9-13, found that Americans trust Democrats more than Republicans to handle 11 of 12 major issues tested, while the GOP retained a five-point advantage on crime. Democrats are two points ahead on immigration, an issue that has traditionally been a strength for Republicans, while their largest advantage was on healthcare, where they led Republicans by 23 percentage points.
The Democrats also held 14-point leads on education and schools, the cost of living, and inflation. The party's advantage extended to foreign policy. Democrats led by 11 points on handling the situation with Iran and by seven points on the conflict between Israel and Gaza.
They also held nine-point leads on the economy, transgender issues and reducing government corruption, and a seven-point lead on taxes. The results come as Americans express growing concern about gasoline prices and the economy. Meanwhile, President Donald Trump's approval rating has dropped to just 33 percent, according to poll, with many Americans voicing dissatisfaction over his handling of the conflict in Iran.
Economic concerns provide important context for the Democrats' growing advantage on several domestic issues. The ABC News/Washington Post/Ipsos poll shows Democrats led Republicans by 14 points on both inflation and the cost of living. Their nine-point advantage on the economy was the widest recorded on that issue in the poll series since 2022.
Other recent surveys have also documented mounting public anxiety about prices. A Pew Research Center survey of 5,062 U.S. adults, conducted September 28-October 4, found that 74 percent were very concerned about gasoline and energy prices, up from 43 percent in January, before the U.S. military conflict with Iran. Seventy-three percent were very concerned about food and consumer-goods prices, while 69 percent expressed the same concern about healthcare costs.
The latest ABC News poll found that 71 percent of Americans considered gasoline unaffordable, compared with just 28 percent in February. The concerns come as the national average price of gasoline had exceeded $4 per gallon for a record 158 days during 2026. The figures come as higher energy costs add pressure to household budgets, affecting not only drivers but also businesses and the prices of goods transported across the country.
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