President Donald Trump has spent months campaigning on behalf of Republican candidates, but the final Our News Outlet/Ipsos poll suggests many voters believe his involvement may be weakening the party’s prospects in the 2026 midterm elections.
Among registered voters, 55 percent said Trump is hurting the GOP’s chances, compared with 20 percent who said he is helping. Independents were especially critical, with 60 percent saying the president is damaging his party’s position.
The Our News Outlet/Ipsos survey questioned 1,021 US adults, including 810 registered voters, from October 30 through November 1. The margin of error among registered voters is plus or minus 3.5 percentage points.
Even within his own party, Trump’s impact is not viewed uniformly. While 48 percent of Republicans said he is helping the party, 21 percent described him as a liability to its campaign efforts.
Since launching an aggressive midterm campaign in September, Trump has visited more than two dozen states and held at least two dozen events.
Although his name is not on any ballot, Trump has urged voters to turn out with the same energy they would show if he were personally seeking re-election.
Whether voters are responding to those appeals or rejecting them, the survey indicates that many are preparing for a difficult election night for Republicans.
Among registered voters, 55 percent said the president is hurting Republican prospects in the 2026 midterm elections
Forty-eight percent of registered voters expect Democrats to add seats in the House of Representatives, while only 24 percent anticipate gains for Republicans.
Among Republicans themselves, 15 percent expect Democrats to win additional House seats.
The outlook is somewhat closer in the Senate, where 43 percent believe Democrats will gain seats compared with 26 percent who expect Republican advances, according to the poll.
If Democrats capture control of both chambers of Congress, Trump would have to work with liberal lawmakers to advance his legislative agenda.
A Democratic majority could also bring a wave of investigations into the president, his advisers and members of his family—an approach some Democrats have already discussed publicly.
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The survey also points to a significant enthusiasm gap. Fifty-six percent of Democratic voters said they feel more excited about this election than previous ones, compared with 37 percent of Republicans and 28 percent of independents.
Independents were the most likely group to report declining enthusiasm, with 22 percent saying they are less motivated than in earlier elections.
Economic anxiety and concerns about corruption appear to be fueling the expected Democratic momentum.
The economy and the rising cost of living ranked as voters’ leading concerns ahead of Tuesday’s midterm elections
Forty-five percent of respondents identified the economy and the cost of living as the most important issues shaping their vote.
Corruption ranked second at 16 percent, followed by democratic values and norms at 15 percent and immigration at 9 percent.
Voters also expressed concerns about the security of the election process.
Sixty-three percent of registered voters said they are worried that election results could be tampered with. That concern was shared by 68 percent of Democrats and 66 percent of Republicans.
Republicans are also facing challenges in traditionally conservative states. A series of polls over the past month has shown competitive races tightening in Texas, Alaska, Kansas and even Mississippi.
Trump has visited each of those states in an effort to support Republican candidates. Tuesday’s results will reveal whether his campaign appearances helped limit expected GOP losses or instead contributed to further Democratic gains.
The president has sought to temper expectations since late last year, when he acknowledged that the party occupying the White House—in this case, the GOP—often suffers significant setbacks in midterm elections.
Still, most voters surveyed believe Trump’s involvement has made the Republican challenge even more difficult.
