October Harvard Caps / Harris Poll: Democrats Hold A 4-Point Lead In Midterms Horserace, With Trump Approval Dropping To 39%
Key Highlights
- ➤Trump approval 39%, down three points from last month
- ➤Democrats lead midterms horserace 52%-48% among general voters
- ➤64% say the economy is on the wrong track, up seven points
- ➤Republican Party approval 41%, down five points to a five-year low
- ➤55% trust Democrats more than Republicans to lower living costs
Expert Statements
Mark Penn, Co-Director of the Harvard CAPS / Harris poll and Stagwell Chairman and CEO
“One week before the midterms elections and voters are feeling pessimistic about the economy and inflation”
NEW YORK CITY, NY AND CAMBRIDGE, MA / ACCESS Newswire / October 28, 2026 / Stagwell (NASDAQ:STGW) today released the results of the October Harvard CAPS / Harris poll, a monthly collaboration between the Center for American Political Studies at Harvard (CAPS) and the Harris Poll and HarrisX.
President Donald Trump's approval rating is at 39%, a three-point drop from last month. His job approval is highest on immigration (44%) and fighting crime in America's cities (44%), and lowest on inflation (33%), tariffs and trade policy (34%), and the economy (34%). This month's poll also covered public opinion on the midterms horserace, key ballot issues, cost of living, SCOTUS, the use of AI in elections, DOJ investigations, European protests, and conflicts in the Middle East and Ukraine. Download the key results here.
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