Democrats’ advantage on generic ballot narrows: Survey

Democrats are seeing a narrow lead as voters head to the polls Tuesday, according to a new survey.

The Reuters/Ipsos poll , released Monday, found that 46 percent of registered voters said they would back Democrats in congressional races, compared with 38 percent who favored Republicans. That margin narrowed from an 11-point Democratic advantage in a similar poll conducted a week earlier.

The findings underscore the political challenges facing Republicans as they fight to maintain control of Congress. Democrats currently hold an 8.6-point lead on the generic congressional ballot, according to Decision Desk HQ polling averages.

Meanwhile, President Trump's approval rating remains underwater. The data shows just 32 percent of Americans approve of Trump's job performance. That is unchanged from last week and 1 point above the record low of 31 percent recorded in October.

Trump also appears to be a motivating factor for some independent voters , with 50 percent saying they view their congressional vote as a vote against the current administration. Just 13 percent said they were voting in support of the president, while another 33 percent said he would not influence their decision.

His low approval rating comes amid growing frustration over the cost of living , driven in part by rising fuel prices as the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran continues ahead of Election Day.

The national average price for a gallon of gas sits at $4.15 as of Tuesday morning, according to AAA , up more than a dollar from a year ago.

Affordability concerns and dissatisfaction with the president's agenda were top of mind for voters heading to cast their ballots.

The Reuters/Ipsos poll was conducted online among 1,765 U.S. adults ahead of Election Day. It has a margin of error of 2 percentage points.