Democrats Far More Energized Than Republicans Ahead of 2026 Congressional Races, Reuters/Ipsos Poll Shows

Democrats show higher turnout enthusiasm for 2026, poll finds

A Reuters/Ipsos survey released this week finds that Democrats are considerably more motivated than Republicans to vote in next year's congressional elections, even as the two parties remain closely matched on overall congressional preference.

Key findings

• 44% of registered voters who identify as Democrats said they are "very enthusiastic" about voting in the Nov. 3, 2026, elections, versus 26% of Republicans.
• 79% of Democrats said they would regret not voting in the election, compared with 68% of Republicans.
• When asked who they would vote for in congressional elections if the vote were held today, 41% of registered voters chose the Democratic candidate and 40% chose the Republican candidate — within the poll's 3 percentage point margin of error.
• Republican President Donald Trump's approval rating remained steady at 40%, while disapproval rose to 58%. 62% of respondents disapproved of his handling of the cost of living.

What voters care about

Voters continue to prioritize kitchen-table issues. 45% said a candidate's position on the cost of living is the most important factor in deciding their vote; on that issue, voters slightly favored Democrats (38%) over Republicans (36%) when asked which party has the better plan.

Immigration remains a clear area of strength for Republicans on perception (Republicans 46% vs. Democrats 34%), but only 14% of respondents said immigration would be the single most important issue next year. By contrast, 26% said democratic values and norms would be the top priority, and voters preferred Democrats on that issue 43% to 34%.

Political context

The poll follows a series of November state and local wins for Democrats, including victories in the Virginia and New Jersey gubernatorial races and the New York City mayoral contest. Voters in California also approved a congressional redistricting measure likely to advantage Democrats, which the state's governor cast as a response to Republican-led redistricting elsewhere.

The survey closed just before Congress voted to end the longest government shutdown in U.S. history, an episode that revealed divisions within the Democratic caucus after eight Democratic senators voted with Republicans to break a funding impasse.

Party mood and individual figures

The poll found waning self-doubt among Democrats compared with earlier this year: 39% now say the party "has lost its way," down from 49% in August. Among Republicans, 22% say their party has lost its way (similar to 19% in August).

On individual favorability, Democrats rated New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani and California Governor Gavin Newsom similarly, at 67% and 65%, respectively.

Methodology

The Reuters/Ipsos online poll surveyed 1,200 U.S. adults nationwide over six days and carries a margin of error of approximately 3 percentage points. Reporting by Jason Lange; editing by Scott Malone and Aurora Ellis.