Who Is More Responsible For The Government Shutdown? Voters Blame Republicans Slightly More Than Democrats, Quinnipiac University National Poll Finds; Trump Numbers Spike On Handling Of Israel - Hamas Conflict, Hit New Low On Economy

Twenty-two days into a government shutdown after Congress hit a budget impasse, 45 percent of registered voters think Republicans in Congress are more responsible for the government shutdown, while 39 percent think Democrats in Congress are more responsible and 11 percent volunteered that they think both parties are equally responsible, according to a Quinnipiac (KWIN-uh-pea-ack) University national poll of registered voters released today.

Democrats and Republicans hold each other's party more responsible for the government shutdown.

Among independents, 48 percent think Republicans in Congress are more responsible, while 32 percent think Democrats in Congress are more responsible and 14 percent volunteered that they think both parties are equally responsible.

CONGRESS JOB APPROVAL

Twenty-six percent of voters approve of the way the Democrats in Congress are handling their job, while 67 percent disapprove and 7 percent did not offer an opinion.

This compares to Quinnipiac University's July 16 poll when 19 percent of voters approved of the way the Democrats in Congress were handling their job, 72 percent disapproved, and 10 percent did not offer an opinion.

Thirty-five percent of voters approve of the way the Republicans in Congress are handling their job, while 59 percent disapprove and 6 percent did not offer an opinion.

This compares to Quinnipiac University's July 16 poll when 33 percent approved of the way the Republicans in Congress were handling their job, 62 percent disapproved, and 5 percent did not offer an opinion.

CONTROL OF U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

If the Congressional midterm elections were held today, 50 percent of voters say they would want to see the Democratic Party win control of the United States House of Representatives, while 41 percent say they would want to see the Republican Party win control.

Democrats and Republicans would overwhelmingly want to see their respective parties win control of the House.

Among independents, 52 percent say they would want to see the Democratic Party win control of the House, while 32 percent say they would want to see the Republican Party win control of the House, and 16 percent did not offer an opinion.

"The GOP takes the harder hit for the grinding government shutdown while the Democrats, despite a miserable approval rating, get the nod on which party should control the House," said Quinnipiac University Polling Analyst Tim Malloy.

PRESIDENT TRUMP

Forty percent of voters approve of the way Donald Trump is handling his job as president, while 54 percent disapprove.

This compares to Quinnipiac University's September 24 poll when 38 percent approved and 54 percent disapproved.

ISRAEL - HAMAS CONFLICT

When it comes to President Trump's handling of the Israel - Hamas conflict, 47 percent approve, while 41 percent disapprove, with 11 percent not offering an opinion.

This is a significant change from Quinnipiac University's September 24 poll when 31 percent of voters approved of the way Trump was handling the Israel - Hamas conflict, 56 percent disapproved, and 13 percent did not offer an opinion.

Nearly 7 in 10 voters (68 percent) think President Trump should get either a great deal of credit (34 percent) or some credit (34 percent) for negotiating the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas that led to the release of Israeli hostages, while nearly 3 in 10 voters (27 percent) think President Trump should get either not much credit (14 percent) or no credit at all (13 percent).

Forty-two percent of voters are either very confident (9 percent) or somewhat confident (33 percent) that the United States can negotiate a lasting peace between Israel and Hamas, while 56 percent of voters are either not so confident (28 percent) or not confident at all (28 percent).

"Approval for President Trump's handling of the Israel - Hamas conflict leaps as hostages are released and a fragile ceasefire holds. But the optimism is tempered by voters' concerns that the promise of peace may just be temporary," added Malloy.

TRUMP HANDLING OF ISSUES

In addition to Trump's handling of the Israel - Hamas conflict, voters were asked about his handling of three other issues:

• the military: 43 percent approve, while 52 percent disapprove, with 5 percent not offering an opinion;
• the economy: 38 percent approve, while 57 percent disapprove, with 5 percent not offering an opinion;
• the Russia - Ukraine war: 36 percent approve, while 54 percent disapprove, with 10 percent not offering an opinion.

This is the lowest score for Trump's handling of the economy since February 2017 after he first took office when the Quinnipiac University Poll began asking the question.

Trump's handling of the economy reached its previous low of 39 percent approval among voters four times since 2017, most recently in a September 24, 2025 poll when 39 percent of voters approved of Trump's handling of the economy, 56 percent disapproved, and 5 percent did not offer an opinion.

"With a nearly 20-point gap between approval and disapproval on President Trump's handling of the economy, it's a low water mark for a president who promised a vibrant and muscular economy," added Malloy.

JUSTICE DEPARTMENT CASES

Fifty-two percent of voters think President Trump is using the U.S. Justice Department to file unjustified criminal charges against his political opponents, while 38 percent think the charges against his political opponents are justified under the law.

Democrats (92 - 5 percent) and independents (58 - 31 percent) think Trump is using the U.S. Justice Department to file unjustified charges against his political opponents, while Republicans (83 - 6 percent) think the charges against his political opponents are justified under the law.

U.S. CITIES

A majority of voters (56 percent) disapprove of President Trump sending the National Guard and law enforcement from federal agencies, including ICE, to cities in the United States in an effort to reduce crime, while 41 percent approve.

1,327 self-identified registered voters nationwide were surveyed from October 16th - 20th with a margin of error of +/- 3.5 percentage points, including the design effect.

The Quinnipiac University Poll, directed by Doug Schwartz, Ph.D. since 1994, conducts independent, non-partisan national and state polls on politics and issues. Surveys adhere to industry best practices and are based on probability-based samples using random digit dialing with live interviewers calling landlines and cell phones.

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