Democrats are more energized for the 2026 midterms than Republicans

President Donald Trump‘s approval rating held steady in a new poll, while Democrats expressed enthusiasm over the upcoming 2026 midterm elections, more so than Republicans did.

In a six-day Reuters/Ipsos poll released Nov. 13, the president had a 40% approval rating − similar to figures seen over the past few months − and a 58% disapproval rating.

The numbers are not far off from several recent surveys: The president’s average rating is 41% approval and a 55% disapproval, according to a New York Times calculation. RealClearPolitics’ Nov. 13 average is similar, at a 42% approval and a 54% disapproval.

While the president’s numbers continue their months-long plateau, largely buoyed by strong Republican support, Democrats appear to be largely energized about next year’s elections, according to the poll.  

Democrats seized on that frustration in last week’s Nov. 4 election, when the party won key races across the country on platforms that focused on economic concerns including housing, jobs and energy prices.

More than 4 in 10 Democratic respondents said they were either “very enthusiastic” about voting next year, compared to 26% of Republicans. On the opposite end, 26% of Democrats and 34% of Republicans in the poll said they felt “neutral” about the 2026 midterms, while between 7% and 8% from either party said they were “very unenthusiastic.”

79% of Democrats said they would regret it if they didn’t vote in the election, compared with 68% of Republicans. However, when asked who they would vote for in congressional elections if the election were held today, neither party stood at a clear advantage.

41% percent of registered voters said they’d pick the Democratic candidate, and 40% said they would go for the Republican candidate − a difference that falls within the poll’s margin of error.

This enthusiasm gap is pretty par for the course in American politics. The voters of the party out of the White House almost always feel more energized to vote in the midterms than the voters of the party in the White House.

And while there have been bumps in the road for Trump and the GOP, the national congressional polls don’t have Democrats up by that wide a margin. Of course, if the civil war within the Right is not resolved, it could lead to a Republican underperformance in the 2026 midterm elections.

At the moment, Democrats are in a more favorable position than Republicans, but they are not clearly ahead nationwide, and everything remains in the air, and will depend on how the next year plays out.