DemDaily: Polling Snapshot: Tracking Trump
July 24, 2026
Eighteen months into his presidency, Donald Trump’s job approval rating sits at 36% -- a historic low. No sitting US president has sustained an approval aggregate under 38% for more than a few consecutive days in nearly two decades.
According to the latest Economist/YouGov poll, the president is underwater among almost every demographic and on every major issue. Most notably, 47% of Americans say the U.S. economy is in a poor state -- the highest level found by any Economist/YouGov poll since 2023. 28% say the economy is fair, 18% say it's good, and only 3% say it's excellent.
The numbers are the strongest condemnation yet of the president's performance on the issue of top importance to the US electorate.
| According to The Economist/YouGov weekly tracking poll of US Adults, conducted July 17-20, 2026, 36% of Americans strongly or somewhat approve of Trump's job performance and 60% disapprove -- giving him a net job approval of -24 (MOE: ±3.2%). That is down 11 points from the beginning of the president’s second term. In his first term (2017–2021), Trump maintained an average approval rating of 41%, reaching a final-term low of 34% in January 2021. |
The Landscape: Republicans entered the 2026 midterm elections facing the traditional headwinds and pattern of losses suffered by the party in the White House.
In every midterm since World War II, the sitting president's party has lost an average of 28 seats in the House -- one the current president may well exceed. The only two exceptions were under Presidents Bill Clinton in 1998 (5 seats) and George W. Bush in 2002 (8 seats). In midterms during a president's second term, House losses often increase, averaging more than 30 seats.
As we look to November, Republicans hold the overwhelming majority of vulnerable House Seats, including 14 of the 18 "toss-up" contests -- a self-imposed consequence of their loyalty to Donald Trump. The GOP is defending six of the nine most competitive US Senate seats and four of the five top-targeted gubernatorial races.
"Donald Trump's atrocious standing in the polls," says Democratic strategist Brad Bannon, "represents a clear and present danger to every Republican candidate on the ballot this November."
Job Performance
Public
More than twice as many respondents say they Strongly Disapprove (50%) of Trump's performance as Strongly Approve (18%). Of the 68% of Independents who disapprove, 55% strongly disapprove vs. 8% who strongly approve.
Political Party
Democrats: 4% approve, 96% disapprove
Republicans: 80% approve, 16% disapprove
Independents: 26% approve, 68% disapprove
Approval by Sex
Female: 34% approve, 61% disapprove
Male: 38% approve, 59% disapprove
Approval by Race
White: 41% approve, 55% disapprove
Black: 15% approve, 78% disapprove
Hispanic: 37% approve, 58% disapprove
Approval by Education
College Degree: 34% approve, 64% disapprove
No College Degree: 37% approve, 58% disapprove
Approval by Age
18-29: 32% approve, 66% disapprove
30-44: 31% approve, 62% disapprove
45-64: 40% approve, 55% disapprove
65+: 39% approve, 60% disapprove
| Generic Congressional Ballot: According to The Economist/YouGov poll, when registered voters were asked, "If the election for US Congress were held today, who would you vote for in the district where you live?" 39% said the Democratic Party candidate, to 33% who said the Republican Party candidate. "Other" secured 2%, "Not Sure" 10%, and "I would not vote" 16%. |
DemList
Connecting You to The Party
Connecting You to Each Other
Kimberly Scott
Publisher
SignUp for the Daily updates on policy, politics and the players. Follow DemList on BlueSky, Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn
Help Demlist now with $15, $25 or $50 HERE!
Sources: The Economist, YouGov, New York Times, AP, Ballotpedia
