Note: Results will continue to update throughout the night.
asserted
Results → note → night
Overview of CBS News 2026 exit polls for the midterm elections
President Trump is on track for the lowest approval rating for a president in a
, according to early exit polls.
uncertain
Trump → accord → polls
Currently at 38%, it's lower than it was during Mr. Trump's first term, and lower than it was for George W. Bush in 2006 when his party lost both houses of Congress.
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party → lose → Congress
Midterm elections have often been a referendum on the sitting president, and this one is no exception.
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one → sit → president
Roughly six in 10 say Mr. Trump is a factor in their vote for the House.
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Trump → say → House
This is being driven largely by voters backing Democrats, who are overwhelmingly motivated by opposition to Mr. Trump.
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who → drive → Trump
But for those backing Republicans, it's less about the president.
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it → back → president
Back in 2018, most Republican voters said their vote was to support Mr. Trump.
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vote → say → Trump
The president has often told his supporters to pretend he is on the ballot, and for many in the MAGA base, they may be doing just that.
uncertain
they → tell → that
Most MAGA Republicans say their vote is to support Mr. Trump, but most non-MAGA Reps say he is not a factor.
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he → say → Trump
Current exit polls show roughly three-quarters of voters are at least dissatisfied with the direction of the country.
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quarters → show → country
More are angry now about how things are going than they were in 2024, as economic anxiety persists.
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anxiety → go → 2024
Those voting for Democrats are particularly likely to be angry.
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Those → vote → Democrats
The issue of the economy and trust in Mr. Trump to fix it helped propel him to victory in 2024, but voters feel no better about the condition of the economy today.
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voters → fix → economy
In fact, more voters have negative views of the economy now than they did two years ago, and views of the economy are more in line with what we saw in the 2022 midterms, when the party in power lost seats.
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party → have → seats
Voters are feeling the pinch
Voters are feeling it in their pocketbooks.
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Voters → feel → pocketbooks
They are more than twice as likely to say their finances are worse rather than better, based on early exit polls.
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finances → say → polls
Voters across parties express concern about affording everything from gas to groceries to utilities.
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Voters → express → utilities
For two consecutive elections, most voters have said inflation caused hardship for their family, including about one in five who describe that hardship as severe.
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who → say → hardship
All this adds up to the cost of living being a major factor for voters across parties, but it's more crucial for those backing Democrats.
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it → add → Democrats
Immigration enforcement is more crucial for those backing Republicans.
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enforcement → back → Republicans
When voters are asked to pick their most important issue from a list, the economy comes out on top, followed by the state of democracy.
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economy → ask → democracy
Those voting for Democrats prioritize the state of democracy — an issue that has long concerned them.
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that → vote → them
For those backing Republicans, the economy is their most important issue, followed by immigration.
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economy → back → immigration
Voters who pick the state of democracy as their top issue are particularly likely to say government corruption is a crucial factor in their vote.
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corruption → pick → vote
Government corruption: It's a major factor for voters across party lines
Roughly nine in 10 voters nationally say government corruption is a major factor in their vote — about the same as cost of living — and it's crucial to those voting for Democrats.
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it → say → Democrats
About six in 10 voters think President Trump puts his own personal interests over the country.
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Trump → think → country
Most think the U.S. made the wrong decision to take that military action, including about a quarter of Republicans.
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U.S. → think → Republicans
Those most concerned about affording gas are the most likely to disagree with the decision to attack Iran.
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Those → afford → Iran
Does all this dissatisfaction translate to satisfaction with the party out of power?
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dissatisfaction → translate → power
Neither political party is viewed favorably by a majority of voters.
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party → view → voters
About one in five backing Democrats for the House have an unfavorable view of the Democratic Party.
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one → back → Party
Most Democrats are motivated by their opposition to Mr. Trump.
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Democrats → motivate → Trump
And the Democratic Party isn't overwhelmingly seen as the party better able to handle key issues.
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Party → see → issues
Data centers arose as an issue in this campaign.
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centers → arise → campaign
In all the Senate battlegrounds, majorities oppose the construction of a data center in their community.
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majorities → oppose → community
More voters see artificial intelligence as doing more to harm society than to help it.
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voters → see → it
Large majorities of voters are at least somewhat confident that their votes will be counted accurately both nationwide and in their own states, and that eligible voters will be allowed to vote.
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voters → count → states
But while they are confident in their votes being counted, those voting Republican are far less confident that people who are not eligible to vote will be prevented from voting.
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who → count → Republican
This national exit poll measures the general preference for voters nationwide in their choice for the House of Representatives.
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poll → measure → Representatives
…and 6 more, not listed.
The Aporia
