Majority of voters say country is on wrong track, favor Democrats in 2026: Poll

A new survey found that a majority of Americans believe the country is on the wrong track and that more Americans would vote for a Democratic candidate over a Republican candidate in the 2026 midterm elections.

The survey, commissioned by the Bipartisan Policy Center (BPC) Action and American Policy Ventures and conducted by Cygnal and Impact Research, was conducted among 1,500 likely general election voters between Sept. 1-2. It found that 60.5 percent of respondents believed that the country is mostly or definitely on the wrong track.

By contrast, only 36.2 percent of those surveyed said they believe the country is headed mostly or definitely in the right direction, and 3.3 percent of respondents were unsure.

The poll also found that 50.7 percent of respondents said they would probably or definitely vote for a Democratic candidate for U.S. Congress if the election were held today, compared with 42.1 percent who said they would probably or definitely vote for a Republican candidate. Another 7.2 percent were undecided.

The economy and affordability have emerged as central issues in the 2026 midterms, with voters frustrated over the rising gas prices, grocery costs and inflation amid the Iran war.

The poll found that 66.6 percent of respondents believe that given what they pay in taxes, the government is doing somewhat too little or way too little in helping Americans who raise families. Only 14.7 percent believe the government is doing the right amount, while 10.5 percent of respondents say the government is doing somewhat or way too much.

Meanwhile, respondents said the issues that cause them the most stress are healthcare and insurance costs, groceries and food and rent or mortgage, according to the survey. The poll found that parents raising kids said they feel the pressure more in housing, while elderly and disability caregivers feel it most in healthcare.

“Too often, Members of Congress face political backlash for working across the aisle,” Liam deClive-Lowe, president of American Policy Ventures, said in a press release. “But this poll shows that policies to support families have widespread backing across the political spectrum. The lawmakers who are leading on these issues have an opportunity to help break through the rising tide of polarization through concrete policy results that help American families.”

Michele Stockwell, president of BPC Action, echoed those sentiments, arguing in a statement that the “poll underscores an important point for Washington: the cost of raising a family is not a partisan issue.”

“Two-thirds of voters say the federal government is doing too little, and majorities of Republicans, Independents, and Democrats want solutions. That is a mandate to act,” Stockwell said.