Voters Give Democrats In Congress A Record Low Job Approval But Still Might Vote For Them In 2026, Quinnipiac University National Poll Finds; Majority Think Trump's Use Of Presidential Power Goes Too Far

Heading into a year with midterm elections, 18 percent of voters approve of the way the Democrats in Congress are handling their job, while 73 percent disapprove, which is a record low job approval rating for them, according to a Quinnipiac (KWIN-uh-pea-ack) University national poll of registered voters released today.

Quinnipiac University first began asking this question in 2009 and the previous low was in July 2025 when 19 percent of voters approved of the job the Democrats in Congress were doing, while 72 percent disapproved.

In today's poll, among Democrats, 42 percent approve of the way members of their own party in Congress are handling their job, while 48 percent disapprove.

In Quinnipiac University's October 22 poll, among Democrats, 58 percent approved of the way the Democrats in Congress were handling their job, while 36 percent disapproved.

Thirty-five percent of voters approve of the way the Republicans in Congress are handling their job, while 58 percent disapprove.

Among Republicans, 77 percent approve of the way members of their own party in Congress are handling their job, while 18 percent disapprove.

CONTROL OF U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

If the election were held today, 47 percent of voters say they would want to see the Democratic Party win control of the United States House of Representatives, while 43 percent would want to see the Republican Party win control of the House.

This compares to Quinnipiac University's October 22 poll, when the Democratic Party held a clear advantage over the Republican Party 50 - 41 percent.

"A family squabble spills over into the holidays. Democratic voters want their party to hold the reins of the House but are not the least bit happy about what they are doing at the moment," said Quinnipiac University Polling Analyst Tim Malloy.

MOST URGENT ISSUE

Given a list of ten issues and asked which is the most urgent one facing the country today, the top two issues for voters are the economy (24 percent) and preserving democracy in the United States (24 percent), followed by immigration (18 percent) and health care (10 percent). No other issues reached double digits.

REPUBLICANS VS. DEMOCRATS: THE ISSUES

Voters were asked which party they think can do a better job with the top four issues facing the country today:

• handling the economy: 46 percent say the Republican party, 41 percent say the Democratic party, and 7 percent volunteer that there is no difference;
• preserving democracy in the United States: 49 percent say the Democratic party, 40 percent say the Republican party, and 5 percent volunteer that there is no difference;
• handling immigration: 47 percent say the Republican party, 42 percent say the Democratic party, and 7 percent volunteer that there is no difference;
• handling health care: 51 percent say the Democratic party, 37 percent say the Republican party, and 6 percent volunteer that there is no difference.

Voters are split on which political party they think is more in touch with the concerns of most people in the United States, as 44 percent say the Democratic party, 42 percent say the Republican party, and 7 percent volunteer that there is no difference.

POWER OF THE PRESIDENCY

When it comes to using the power of the presidency, 54 percent of voters think Donald Trump is going too far, 37 percent think he is handling it about right, and 7 percent think Trump isn't going far enough in using the power of the presidency.

"Is the often described 'most powerful person in the world' wielding too much power? More than half of Americans believe President Trump has crossed that line," added Malloy.

TRUMP JOB APPROVALS

Forty percent of voters approve of the way Donald Trump is handling his job as president, while 54 percent disapprove, unchanged from Quinnipiac University's October 22 poll.

Voters were asked about Trump's handling of eight issues:

• the military: 46 percent approve, while 51 percent disapprove;
• immigration issues: 44 percent approve, while 54 percent disapprove;
• deportations: 42 percent approve, while 55 percent disapprove;
• foreign policy: 41 percent approve, while 54 percent disapprove;
• trade: 40 percent approve, while 55 percent disapprove;
• the economy: 40 percent approve, while 57 percent disapprove;
• the Russia - Ukraine war: 35 percent approve, while 55 percent disapprove;
• health care: 34 percent approve, while 59 percent disapprove.

THE ECONOMY

Thirty-four percent of voters describe the state of the nation's economy these days as either excellent (3 percent) or good (31 percent), while 65 percent describe it as either not so good (35 percent) or poor (30 percent), which is similar to Quinnipiac University's September 24 poll.

Nearly half of voters (48 percent) think the nation's economy is getting worse, 30 percent think it's getting better, and 21 percent think it's staying about the same.

BIDEN VS. TRUMP: THE ECONOMY

Asked who they think is more responsible for the current state of the economy: Joe Biden or Donald Trump, 57 percent of voters say Trump, 34 percent say Biden and 10 percent did not offer an opinion.

COST OF LIVING

Sixty-four percent of voters think the cost of living in the United States today is a very serious problem, 28 percent think it is a somewhat serious problem, 5 percent think it is a not so serious problem, and 2 percent think it is not a problem at all.

Voters were asked how easy or difficult it is for them to afford six areas of spending:

• gas: 33 percent say very easy, 32 percent say somewhat easy, 21 percent say somewhat difficult, and 8 percent say very difficult;
• electricity: 33 percent say very easy, 30 percent say somewhat easy, 23 percent say somewhat difficult, and 11 percent say very difficult;
• health care: 28 percent say very easy, 31 percent say somewhat easy, 21 percent say somewhat difficult, and 19 percent say very difficult;
• groceries: 26 percent say very easy, 36 percent say somewhat easy, 25 percent say somewhat difficult, and 12 percent say very difficult;
• rent or mortgage: 25 percent say very easy, 30 percent say somewhat easy, 22 percent say somewhat difficult, and 13 percent say very difficult;
• holiday gifts: 22 percent say very easy, 34 percent say somewhat easy, 24 percent say somewhat difficult, and 18 percent say very difficult.

IMMIGRATION

A majority of voters (55 percent) think the Trump administration is being too harsh in its treatment of undocumented immigrants in the United States, 36 percent think the Trump administration is handling this about right, and 6 percent think the Trump administration is being too lenient in its treatment of undocumented immigrants in the United States.

Fifty-seven percent of voters say they would prefer giving most undocumented immigrants in the United States a pathway to legal status, while 35 percent say they would prefer deporting most undocumented immigrants in the United States.

BIRTHRIGHT CITIZENSHIP

Seven out of 10 voters (70 percent) think the Supreme Court should keep the 1898 ruling in place that under the U.S. Constitution anyone born in the United States is a U.S. citizen, regardless of their parents' citizenship, while 24 percent think the Supreme Court should reverse the ruling.

TRUMP ADMINISTRATION OFFICIALS

Job approval ratings for four Trump administration officials:

• Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr.: 39 percent approve, 53 percent disapprove, with 8 percent not offering an opinion;
• Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth: 38 percent approve, 49 percent disapprove, with 14 percent not offering an opinion;
• Director of the FBI Kash Patel: 35 percent approve, 51 percent disapprove, with 14 percent not offering an opinion;
• United States Attorney General Pam Bondi: 31 percent approve, 51 percent disapprove, with 18 percent not offering an opinion.

Forty percent of voters are either very confident (17 percent) or somewhat confident (23 percent) in vaccine information cited by Robert F. Kennedy Jr., while 57 percent are either not so confident (10 percent) or not confident at all (47 percent).

Forty-five percent of voters are either very confident (25 percent) or somewhat confident (20 percent) in Pete Hegseth's leadership of the U.S. military, while 47 percent are either not so confident (7 percent) or not confident at all (40 percent).

EPSTEIN FILES

Twenty-six percent of voters approve of the way the Trump administration is handling the Jeffrey Epstein files, while 65 percent disapprove and 9 percent did not offer an opinion.

SUSPECTED DRUG BOATS & VENEZUELA

Voters 53 - 42 percent oppose U.S. military attacks to kill suspected drug smugglers on boats in international waters.

Voters 63 - 25 percent oppose U.S. military action inside Venezuela.

RUSSIA - UKRAINE

When asked about the war between Russia and Ukraine, 48 percent of voters think Donald Trump is favoring Russia too much, 36 percent think he is striking about the right balance, and 3 percent think Trump is favoring Ukraine too much. Thirteen percent did not offer an opinion.

"Assessing the torturous struggle to end the protracted conflict, nearly half of voters have concluded that President Trump is leaning more toward Russia than Ukraine," added Malloy.

SOCIAL MEDIA BAN

Voters 61 - 34 percent say they would like to see a ban on social media for kids under 16 years of age, similar to the one Australia recently put into effect.

"Australia draws the line on young kids accessing the vast influence of social media. In a very rare agreement across party and gender lines, American voters say: let's do the same thing here," added Malloy.

1,035 self-identified registered voters nationwide were surveyed from December 11th - 15th with a margin of error of +/- 3.9 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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