The latest New York Times/Siena University poll found that Republicans lack trust on some of the most critical issues voters are concerned about ahead of the elections, including the economy and immigration, two issues that helped carry President Donald Trump to victory in the 2024 election. The midterms are less than 50 days away, and Democrats are increasingly hopeful about their chances of flipping both the House of Representatives and Senate. Historically, the president’s party loses seats in the midterms when his approval is low, and Trump’s approval has reached record lows in recent surveys.
Issues like the economy, the cost of living and soaring gas prices amid the Iran war have driven the slip in his approval. Democrats were preferred over Republicans on seven major issues, the poll found. It surveyed 1,503 likely voters from September 8 to 13, 2026 and had a margin of error of plus or minus 2.9 percentage points.
Democrats had their strongest advantage on health care, with a 24-point lead over the GOP, but also enjoyed advantages on economic issues, foreign policy and immigration, the poll found. It comes just weeks before the midterms, as Democrats intensify their message on affordability, and as Trump faces growing scrutiny over the economy, particularly as the latest developments in the Middle East threaten to drive up gas prices even further—adding to the financial pressure faced by millions of Americans. Here is an issue-by-issue breakdown of these seven issues.
Natalie Baldassarre, national press secretary for the Republican National Committee, responded to the poll in a statement to Newsweek, writing that Democratic candidates “are in an all-out leftward lurch to see who can be the most extreme.” “Meanwhile, Republicans have lowered drug prices, secured out the border, created jobs, and cut taxes. Republicans will continue highlight these achievements and contrast them with Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer’s plans to strip Americans of their safety, sanity, and freedom,” she said. Newsweek also reached out to the Democratic National Committee for comment via email.
AI, an increasingly salient issue, was the notable outlier. Republicans had a +2 point advantage on the issue, 42 percent to 40 percent. Data centers have been a major issue shaping the midterms amid grassroots resistance to their construction.
Critics have raised concerns about rising electricity bills from their construction, as well as environmental impact, water use and noise pollution. More than 500 jurisdictions across the U.S. have banned data center construction, according to an analysis by The Information. AI is also likely to become an increasingly important issue for many voters amid growing calls for Washington to focus on AI policy because advanced models could pose a catastrophic risk.
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