News about midterm elections

In the midterms, meat has become a flashpoint: Republicans accuse some Democratic candidates of backing veganism or opposing farming, while Democrats focus on beef prices that rose under Trump. In Mississippi, Democrat Scott Colom released a video clipping incumbent Republican Cindy Hyde-Smith saying voters have “so many proteins to choose from.” In Colorado, Republicans attacked Democrat Manny Rutinel over his anti-meat activism, but he has publicly eaten steak tacos and is backed by the meatpackers’ union. The Bureau of Labor Statistics put the average pound of ground beef at $6.79 last month, up from $5.55 in January 2025, and Trump’s efforts to ease prices by opening U.S. markets to beef imports, especially from Argentina, have angered U.S. producers. Hyde-Smith’s campaign blamed Colom for supporting Biden-era policies that drove up inflation.

President Donald Trump rallied in Dalton, Georgia, on Friday and Highland Heights, Kentucky, on Saturday, repeating familiar lines on topics including his makeup and a spelling joke about 'dumb,' which the author calls nonsensical. Georgia Sen. Jon Ossoff described the speech as 'senile babbling.' The author argues Trump would help Republicans more by staying out of the final weeks of the midterm campaign so candidates can define their own races. The column says Trump dismisses voter concerns about inflation, corruption and the cost of gas and groceries as hoaxes.

A new Washington Post-ABC News-Ipsos poll shows President Donald Trump's approval among U.S. adults has fallen to 33 percent, with 66 percent disapproving, the lowest of his first term. Among likely voters, approval stands at 38 percent. Democrats now hold a clear lead in the fight for control of the House and, for the first time in more than a decade, are seen as more trusted to handle the economy. Voters prefer a Democratic-led Congress as a check on Trump over a Republican one supporting his agenda by 58 percent to 39 percent, while 72 percent say the country is heading in the wrong direction. Inflation, gasoline prices and the Iran war are major threats to Republicans, whose campaign money advantage is now shifting to protect candidates in redder areas.

The November 3, 2026 midterm elections will decide whether Republicans keep control of Congress, with all 435 House seats, 35 Senate seats and 36 governorships up for grabs. Republicans hold a 53–47 Senate advantage, and Democrats need a net gain of four seats to take control. A Pew survey found only 30% of Americans approve of Trump's performance while 68% disapprove, and a Harris Poll found 61% believe the country is effectively in a recession. Competitive Senate races are emerging in Trump-won states including Alaska, Kansas, Iowa, Ohio and Texas, where Democrat James Talarico leads Republican Ken Paxton 50% to 47% in a University of Texas poll.

A Washington Post-ABC News-Ipsos poll conducted Oct. 9–13 found that 33% of Americans approve of Trump's job performance and 66% disapprove, a record low two weeks before the Nov. 3 midterms. His approval is down four points from July and eight from a year ago, and only 28% approve of his handling of the economy, with roughly 3 in 4 disapproving of how he has managed inflation and the cost of living. For the first time in over 10 years, Americans trust Democrats more than Republicans on the economy, and Democrats hold an eight-point lead for controlling the House. Republicans hold a 53-47 Senate majority, so Democrats would need to flip at least two seats in states Trump won by double digits in 2024, while also holding Georgia and Michigan.

Michigan residents describe a tough economy, and the University of Michigan's consumer sentiment index, the nation's longest-running survey dating back to 1946, is lower than almost any time in modern history, including the stagflation era, the 2008 financial crisis and post-COVID price spikes. The share of consumers expecting wages to outpace inflation fell from 18% to 11% in September, as wages have not kept up with prices. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, grocery prices rose more than four percent over two years, AAA reports gas prices are up 35 percent, and Freddie Mac projects 30-year mortgage rates to stay above seven percent through next year. A Northville real estate agent said mortgage rates rising from 6.5 percent to 7.5 percent meant buyers could afford $50,000 less, leaving a house on the market for over a month. Trump had promised to bring prices down quickly, but many voters feel he has not kept that promise, raising the question of whether gloomy sentiment will translate into votes.

A Washington Post-ABC News-Ipsos poll conducted Oct. 9-13 found Trump's approval at a record low of 33%, with 66% disapproving, two weeks before the Nov. 3 midterms. For the first time in over 10 years, Americans trust Democrats more than Republicans on the economy, and only 28% approve of Trump's handling of it. Roughly 3 in 4 Americans disapprove of his management of inflation and the cost of living. Democrats hold an eight-point advantage for controlling the House, while winning the Senate would require flipping at least two seats in states Trump won by double digits in 2024, given Republicans' 53-47 majority. A Democratic Senate would give them the power to block Trump's nominees and subpoena witnesses in potential investigations.

A Washington Post-ABC News-Ipsos poll conducted October 9-13 found President Donald Trump's approval rating at 33%, with 66% disapproving, a record low just two weeks before the November 3 midterm elections. His rating is down four points from July and eight points from a year ago, and among likely voters, 38% approve. His economic approval has fallen to 28%, and roughly 3 in 4 Americans disapprove of how he has handled inflation and cost of living. For the first time in over 10 years, Americans trust Democrats more than Republicans on the economy. Democrats hold an eight-point lead for controlling the House, while winning the Senate would require flipping at least two seats in states Trump won by double digits in 2024, while holding Georgia and Michigan.

Voters in California, Florida and Massachusetts will decide on Nov. 3 measures on zoning, permitting and property taxes tied to housing affordability. In Massachusetts, Question 7 would cap minimum lot sizes at 5,000 square feet and needs more than a simple majority, with Yes votes equal to at least 30% of all ballots cast; supporters have raised more than $1.7 million. Florida requires 60% approval, and Amendment 3 would raise the homestead exemption to $250,000 in 2028, but a University of North Florida poll in July found support falling from 61% to 45% once voters learned the budget impact. In California, Proposition 45 would set deadlines for CEQA environmental reviews and court challenges, but California YIMBY has taken no position.

A Washington Post-ABC News-Ipsos poll conducted Oct. 9-13 found that 33% of Americans approve of Trump's job performance, 66% disapprove, and 52% strongly disapprove, down four points from July and eight from a year ago. Among likely voters, 38% approve, and only 28% approve of his handling of the economy, while roughly three in four Americans disapprove of how he has managed inflation and the cost of living. The poll gives Democrats an eight-point edge for controlling the House after the Nov. 3 midterms. Republicans hold a 53-47 Senate majority, so Democrats would need to flip at least two seats in states Trump won by double digits in 2024, which would let them block his nominees and subpoena witnesses in investigations.

Zac Surritt, who leads strategic growth at Kansas metal fabrication firm R&S Maintenance, told Republican Senator Roger Marshall that Trump's tariffs had cut demand and margins, raised transport costs and forced the company to delay expansion. Marshall, who is seeking reelection against Democrat Adam Hamilton, said this experience was likely an anomaly because most manufacturers he had spoken with were expanding, and argued that tariffs were helping Kansas manufacturing grow. Hamilton countered that the state's largest employers criticized the instability tariffs had created, noting 56 tariff changes in the past year, and called Trump's insults toward Canada, which imports $4 billion in Kansas goods annually, a blunder. The Tax Foundation estimated the average household cost of Trump's tariff policy at $820 per residence in 2026.

A Washington Post-ABC News-Ipsos poll puts Trump's approval at a record-low 33%, down four percentage points from July and eight from a year ago. Among likely voters, 38% approve, and on the economy only 28% approve, with roughly 3 in 4 Americans disapproving of his handling of inflation and the cost of living. For the first time in over 10 years, Americans trust Democrats more than Republicans on the economy. Two weeks before the Nov. 3 midterms, Democrats hold an eight-point advantage for controlling the House and have a real shot at the Senate, where Republicans hold a 53-47 majority, while Republicans privately worry his disapproval is a liability.

The column examines several claims in the 2026 midterm campaign. It notes Sen. Tom Cotton's argument that inflation has fallen from a record 9.1% in June 2022 to 3.4% in August, but stresses that the rate was 3.0% in January 2025 when Trump returned to office and is now moving in the wrong direction, with September's rate rising to 3.7%. It argues that Republican claims about Iran's hostility toward America dating from 1979 overlook the 1953 coup that overthrew Prime Minister Mohammad Mosaddegh, which the U.S. government acknowledged in 2013. The author also quotes Rep. French Hill saying a data center energy bill that never became law would only have required states to “consider” making utilities cover data center energy costs. The author adds that emails to Little Rock city directors, several of whom share one email address, have gone largely unanswered.

A Washington Post-ABC News-Ipsos poll conducted October 9-13 shows President Donald Trump's approval has fallen to a record low of 33%, with 66% disapproving, two weeks before the November 3 midterm elections. The rating is down four points from July and eight from a year earlier, and 52% of those who disapprove say they do so strongly. Approval on the economy has dropped to 28%, and roughly three in four Americans disapprove of his handling of inflation and the cost of living. For the first time in over 10 years, more Americans trust Democrats than Republicans on the economy, and Democrats hold an eight-point advantage for controlling the House after the midterms. Democrats also have a real shot at the Senate, but would need to flip at least two seats in states Trump won by double digits in 2024 while holding Georgia and Michigan.

A new Washington Post-ABC News-Ipsos poll conducted Oct. 9-13 shows President Donald Trump's approval rating at a record low of 33%, with 66% disapproving, two weeks before the Nov. 3 midterm elections. Among likely voters, 38% approve, and his economic approval has fallen to 28%, with roughly 3 in 4 Americans disapproving of his handling of inflation and cost of living. Democrats hold an eight-point advantage for controlling the House and have a real chance to win the Senate, where Republicans hold a 53-47 majority and Democrats would need to flip at least two seats. Republicans reportedly worry privately that his unpopularity is a liability, and a Democratic Senate would let them block nominees and subpoena witnesses.

A Washington Post-ABC News-Ipsos poll released Oct. 18 found 33% of U.S. adults approve of Trump's job performance and 66% disapprove, his lowest mark in these outlets' polling, down from 37% in April and July. A Fox News poll released Oct. 14 showed similarly low approval. Around 3 in 4 Americans disapprove of his handling of cost of living and inflation, and Democrats were seen as more trustworthy on the economy for the first time in over a decade, 40% to 33%. Democrats lead by 8 points for House control among registered voters, and 72% say the country is heading in the wrong direction. The poll of 2,545 U.S. adults was conducted Oct. 9-13 and comes just over two weeks before the Nov. 3 midterm elections.

A new NBC News Decision Desk Poll powered by SurveyMonkey finds 71% of U.S. adults think the country is on the 'wrong track', the highest level of Donald Trump's second term. Trump's approval has slipped to 34% among adults, with 66% disapproving and 51% strongly disapproving, a second-term high. Economic worries dominate, with 44% saying their financial situation is worse than a year ago and 67% calling gas prices a serious problem. Democrats also face negative ratings, with 57% viewing the party unfavorably, while 63% view the Republican Party unfavorably. Only 14% of adults expect to receive the $5,000 payment Trump has promised if Republicans keep control of Congress, while 71% do not expect it.