Voters blame Trump's economy as midterms near

Summarised from 2 outlets · 4 reports · Updated 15 Oct, 13:20 · Archive

Polls show voters increasingly blame President Trump's economy ahead of US midterm elections less than three weeks away.

With midterm elections less than three weeks away, polls show key voter groups increasingly dissatisfied with President Trump's economy. An exclusive Harris poll for the Guardian found that 61 per cent of Americans believe the country is in recession, though it is not by standard definition. The poll shows 65 per cent of independents say the economy is worse, up from 48 per cent in September 2024.

Republican optimism has declined markedly. In February 2025, just weeks after Trump's inauguration, 39 per cent of Republicans said the economy was getting better. By the latest poll, just 28 per cent held that view. Voters across the political spectrum cite high prices at gas stations and grocery stores as their chief concerns, with two-thirds naming gas and grocery prices as their most important issues.

An AP-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research survey found roughly eight in ten voters identify the economy or cost of living as top concerns for the midterms, followed by healthcare and the conflict in Iran. The same poll indicates nearly three-quarters of Democratic voters consider voting extremely important, compared to around six in ten Republicans, suggesting a notable motivation gap between the parties that could affect turnout.

How it is being reported

• Bad news for Trump ahead of the midterms: it’s still the economy, stupidVoters’ opposition to the state of Trump’s economy is well established – despite his desperate attempts to deflect Our reporters answer your questions about the US economy and the midterm elections It’s indisputable that the political polarization of our time has reduced (and confused) the influence of economic conditions on US elections. In September of 2024, in the waning weeks of the Joe Biden presidency, 65% of Republicans believed the US economy was getting worse. About six months later, as Donald Trump launched a trade war on the rest of the world with his “liberation day” tariffs, the…Guardian World · 15 Oct, 13:00
• Trump hit by brutal midterm poll as voters turn against his economy and Iran warA strong majority of voters believe that President Donald Trump is falling short at home and abroadIndependent World · 15 Oct, 12:54
• Key US voters say economy is getting worse ahead of midterms, exclusive poll findsNearly 61% believe country is in recession and 65% of independents say economy is worse, according to new Harris poll Send us your questions on how the US economy is shaping the midterm elections With the midterm elections less than three weeks away, key voting groups including independents, rural voters and even some Republicans are increasingly disenchanted with Donald Trump’s economy, according to an exclusive Harris poll for the Guardian. The majority of those surveyed were pessimistic about the economy, with three quarters of Americans saying they are concerned about a recession while…Guardian World · 15 Oct, 10:00
• Will Trump’s economy sink Republicans in the US midterm elections? Our reporters answer your questionsThe high cost of living has Americans angrier than ever. Guardian reporters answer your questions about the economy before voters head to the polls Sign up or sign in to ask your question Welcome to our latest US midterms live Q&A. With just over two weeks to election day on 3 November, the US economy is top of voters’ minds. Food and gas prices remain high, the job market is unstable, consumers are angrier than ever , and a new Fed chair, Kevin Warsh , took over this year. The makeup of the Democratic party, plus key races to watch Who are the groups financially backing the candidates in…Guardian World · 14 Oct, 23:10

In this story: Donald Trump · Kevin Warsh · United States · Harris · AP-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research

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