Just weeks before Election Day, the latest Fox News survey paints a rough picture for Republicans. Voters are still laser-focused on prices, inflation is viewed as out of control by a majority, and President Donald Trump’s approval numbers have slipped to a new low in the poll. At the same time, Democrats hold the edge on the broad mood of the race and on several issue areas that usually decide who gets the upper hand.
Cost of living is the big beast in the room. Six in 10 voters name it as their top economic concern, while far fewer point to government spending, jobs, inequality, tariffs or taxes. Most voters give the economy a negative rating, many expect it to get worse, and only a small slice says their family is doing better than it was two years ago.
That gloom matters because midterms usually punish the party in power. About 7 in 10 voters say they want to send a message to Trump, and more of that message is opposition than support. If the election were held today, Democrats would lead in the generic House matchup, with that advantage widening among the most reliable voters.
Inflation is still doing a lot of political damage. A majority says it is not under control, and Trump’s rating on the issue has sunk to a new low, with disapproval far outweighing approval. His numbers are also weak on the economy, tariffs, foreign policy and immigration, while border security remains the one area that lands closer to even.
The president’s overall job approval is now 36%, the lowest mark recorded for him in this survey across both terms. The slide shows up most clearly among younger voters, lower-income voters, non-White voters and those without a college degree. Even among Republicans, support has softened compared with earlier readings.
On the House ballot, Democrats have a clear edge and it is not just a statistical blip. Their candidate leads among college-educated White voters, women, younger voters, union households and Hispanics, while Republicans keep their strength among older voters, religious regulars, veterans and White voters without a degree. Hispanic support has also shifted away from the GOP compared with last year’s presidential contest.
Behind the topline numbers, the issue map is tilted against Republicans. Democrats are trusted more on most of the major concerns voters care about, including inflation, gas prices, healthcare, government leadership, corruption and foreign policy. Republicans still have an advantage on crime and border security, but even those strengths look narrower than they used to be.
Corruption and inflation sit at the top of the concern list, and Democrats have an edge on both. Voters also rank gas prices, government leadership and healthcare among their biggest worries, and the Democratic candidate gets the better trust marks across those topics. That gives the party a real opening, even though neither side enjoys glowing reviews.
What makes the Democratic lead even more interesting is that many voters do not think highly of either party. Congress is viewed brutally, both parties are underwater in favorability, and a sizable block of voters say they dislike both sides. Even so, those voters tend to break toward Democrats rather than sitting out the choice.
Partisans remain locked in place, though the loyalty is not perfectly symmetrical. Nearly all Democrats back their own candidate, and Republicans mostly do the same, but independents lean Democratic by a wide margin. That kind of split can be decisive in a close year, especially when turnout differences start to matter as much as persuasion.
The poll also shows a country that is deeply divided on big-picture direction. Many voters think Democrats will do a better job fighting for people like them, while relatively few believe either party has a fully clear plan for the country’s problems. That is a nasty combination for Republicans, because frustration alone is not enough when voters are still asking who actually has the better answer.
There are a few extra data points that help explain the mood. Capitalism still beats socialism by a healthy margin, early voters lean Democratic, and skepticism toward military action against Iran is strong. Views on Israel are also shifting, with more voters now saying U.S. support is too high than saying it is about right.
