Takeaway: Early Election Day surveys show many voters focused on living costs and democracy, with President Trump’s job rating near the bottom for a midterm president.
What the early surveys show
As polls closed across much of the country on Tuesday, early exit polls and The AP Voter Poll sketched a restless electorate.
According to CBS News and NBC News exit polls, about 38% of voters said they approve of how President Donald Trump is handling his job. CBS said that early figure is on track to be among the lowest for a president in a midterm election, below Trump’s 45% in 2018 and below George W. Bush’s rating in 2006.
An exit poll is a survey of people who just voted, often mixed with interviews of early and mail voters. Numbers can shift as more results come in overnight.
Top issues on voters’ minds
Both the AP Voter Poll and the network exit polls put the economy first and the state of democracy second.
Key early findings, according to AP, CBS, and NBC:
- About 4 in 10 voters named the economy as the country’s top issue; about 3 in 10 named democracy.
- Roughly three-quarters of voters said they were dissatisfied or angry with the country’s direction.
- About two-thirds in NBC’s poll said Trump’s policies have made economic conditions worse.
- Cost of living concerns—gas, groceries, and utilities—ran high across party lines.
- Immigration ranked higher for Republican voters; democracy ranked higher for Democratic voters.
The Associated Press also highlighted cost of living and government corruption as major factors for many voters who feel unhappy with Trump.
How each side framed Election Day
The White House struck a confident tone on X throughout the day. One widely shared post said, “America is going to win.” Another claimed, “PROMISES MADE, PROMISES KEPT,” pointing to the border, crime, and the economy.
Democrats leaned into cost and accountability themes. The Democratic Party’s official account urged people to elect leaders who will “bring down costs, root out corruption, and fight for working people.” Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer wrote that Americans would “resoundingly reject” the status quo.
CBS noted a split inside the GOP electorate: most MAGA Republicans said their House vote was to support Trump, while many non-MAGA Republicans said he was not a factor. About six in 10 voters overall said Trump was a factor in their House vote, driven largely by Democratic voters opposing him.
What this does—and does not—mean
Early surveys describe mood and motivation. They do not call races. Democrats need a net gain of about four Senate seats and three House seats to take both chambers, according to AP’s Election Day guide. Final tallies will decide whether that sour mood turns into new majorities.
Sources: AP Voter Poll live updates; AP on Trump stakes; CBS News exit polls; NBC News Exit Poll; AP on X; White House on X; White House “Promises Made”; Democrats on X; Schumer on X
