President Donald Trump’s approval rating is underwater in nearly all states with competitive Senate races in the 2026 midterm elections, according to the latest polling data from Civiqs. Trump’s approval rating will be a major factor in the midterm elections, as Democrats have sought to turn the elections into a referendum on the president’s popularity. Historically, when the president is unpopular, his party loses seats in the midterms.
Democrats believe Trump’s approval rating hitting record lows in a series of recent polls could give them an opportunity to expand the battleground to compete in more conservative states. Republicans currently hold a 53-47 majority in the Senate, so Democrats need to flip at least four seats to win control of the chamber, as Vice President JD Vance would serve as tiebreaker in an evenly divided Senate. Democrats are facing a tough map with few clear pickup opportunities.
If they hold every seat they currently hold and pick up top targets in Maine and North Carolina, they would still need to win at least two seats in states that backed Trump by double digits in the 2024 election. A Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC) spokesperson told Newsweek that Senate Republicans are “scrambling to defend deep red states and are desperately trying to change the subject from their scandal-plagued candidates and their toxic agenda of jacking up costs on everything from gas to groceries to health care.” Republican National Committee Press Secretary Natalie Baldassarre responded to polling in a statement to Newsweek. Newsweek also reached out to the Democratic National Committee and the National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) for comment.
Trump’s approval rating has reached record low points in several recent polls, creating a headache for Republicans in the final stretch of the midterms. His approval has fallen amid voters’ ongoing frustration with the economy, the cost of living and high gas prices soaring amid the unpopular war in Iran. Only 32 percent of Americans said they approved of Trump in the latest poll from and Ipsos, while 65 percent said they disapproved of his job performance.
It surveyed 4,506 Americans from September 30 to October 5, 2026, with a margin of error of plus or minus 1.5 percentage points. In a recent survey from YouGov and CBS News, 61 percent of Americans said they disapproved of Trump, while 39 percent approved. It was conducted among 2,166 adults from September 30 to October 2, with a margin of error of plus or minus 2.5 percentage points.
Trump’s net approval rating stood at -14 points in the latest Morning Consult poll, with 42 percent approving and 56 percent disapproving of his job performance. Its latest data was retrieved from a poll among registered voters ending the week of September 27. Trump has criticized polls showing his approval rating has fallen.
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