above his record low a week earlier — but Democrats still hold a double-digit lead on the generic ballot with eight days to go before the midterm elections.
The five-day nationwide poll, which closed on Monday, found that registered voters favored Democrats over Republicans by 47% to 36% when asked which party they would vote for if the congressional elections were held today. Some 11% said they did not know.
A slightly tighter race than last week
The 11-point Democratic advantage is one point tighter than in the Reuters/Ipsos poll that closed on October 19, when Democrats led 47% to 35% — the widest margin of the current election cycle. When undecided voters were asked which party they leaned toward, the race tightened further, with Democrats leading by 9 points, 50% to 41%.
Donald Trump's approval rating of 32% is up from 31% a week ago, the lowest level of either of his presidential terms. The previous poll found Americans worried about high gasoline prices and ready to punish his Republican Party on November 3.
What is at stake on November 3
The November 3 elections will decide which party controls the House of Representatives and the Senate. For Republicans, losing control of either chamber could complicate Donald Trump's agenda in the last two years of his second term.
Generic ballot polls give an overall view of national sentiment, but they do not capture the district-by-district contests that decide control of Congress, where Republicans hold some structural advantages.
The Reuters/Ipsos poll was conducted online among 1,679 U.S. adults, including 1,280 registered voters, with a margin of error of 2 percentage points for all adults and 3 points for registered voters.
Sources: Reuters, 26 Oct 2026; Reuters/Ipsos poll, 19 Oct 2026.