New Poll: Most Voters Say They’re Worse Off Under Trump — Democrats Hold Midterm Lead

A new Focaldata poll conducted for the Financial Times finds most American voters believe the economy is worsening under President Donald Trump and say they are personally worse off roughly a year and a half into his second term.

The survey, fielded Aug. 7–10 among 1,913 registered voters (margin of error ±2.9 points), shows about 53% of respondents — including nearly 25% of Republicans — say their financial situation is worse than it was on Jan. 19, 2025, the day President Joe Biden left office. Respondents cited higher consumer costs, including fuel prices and international tensions such as the war with Iran, as contributing factors.

The poll also finds Democrats with an edge on a generic midterm ballot: 51% of respondents said they would vote for a Democrat in November, while 45% said they would back a Republican. Voters said they trust Democrats more than Republicans on jobs and the economy — a troubling sign for the GOP as it defends narrow congressional majorities.

Approval and Party Loyalty

The president’s standing is weak in the poll: 55% of Americans disapprove of the job he is doing. The results indicate cracks in partisan loyalty — roughly one in five Republicans now disapprove of his performance, and Republican approval slipped by about eight points since the Financial Times’ July survey.

Implications for the Midterms

Democrats need four pickups in both the Senate and the House to win majorities in each chamber next year. Winning either chamber would significantly limit the GOP’s ability to pass partisan legislation, leaving much of the administration’s agenda to executive action and regulatory moves.

Democratic leaders Chuck Schumer and Hakeem Jeffries need just four seats in their respective chambers to win control of Congress in November (Getty)

Reclaiming both chambers could, in theory, reopen discussion of impeachment, but Democratic leaders have publicly downplayed that prospect as the midterms near. More likely, Democrats say they would use oversight and subpoenas to pursue investigations into the administration and the Trump family’s financial dealings, which the article notes have produced record-setting profits during his second term.

Several committees are also considering subpoenas to investigate firings and institutional changes tied to initiatives associated with technology executives — developments that have attracted congressional attention.

GOP Dynamics

Republicans have operated with extremely slim House margins for more than a year, producing internal divisions and complicating the passage of major legislation. Because of that fractiousness, the party has relied heavily on budget reconciliation to advance key priorities, a process that bypasses the 60-vote filibuster threshold but is limited to budget-related measures. President Trump has urged Republicans to eliminate the filibuster and rush additional legislation, but those efforts have largely failed to gain traction.

The Financial Times poll follows a recent Reuters/Ipsos survey that found limited public support for a U.S. war with Iran and widespread belief that the administration has not clearly articulated its objectives or strategy on that front.

Methodology

The Focaldata/Financial Times survey was conducted from Aug. 7 to Aug. 10 among 1,913 registered voters. The reported margin of error is ±2.9 percentage points.