2026 Generic Ballot Tracker
A "generic ballot" poll asks voters a simple question: which party do you wish was in charge of Washington right now? It's the single best indicator of the national political environment heading into a midterm election. We average the polls together, weighted by recency, sample size, and every pollster's track record.
| Pollster | Date | Dem % | GOP % | Net |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Focaldata | Sep 2, 2026Sep 2 | 52% | 45% | +7 |
| YouGov | Aug 31, 2026Aug 31 | 46% | 40% | +6 |
| Ipsos | Aug 31, 2026Aug 31 | 43% | 38% | +5 |
| Morning Consult | Aug 30, 2026Aug 30 | 47% | 42% | +5 |
| Quantus Insights | Aug 28, 2026Aug 28 | 50% | 43% | +7 |
| YouGov | Aug 26, 2026Aug 26 | 42% | 34% | +8 |
| McLaughlin & Associates | Aug 24, 2026Aug 24 | 48% | 43% | +5 |
| ActiVote | Aug 24, 2026Aug 24 | 52% | 48% | +3 |
| YouGov | Aug 24, 2026Aug 24 | 46% | 40% | +6 |
| Ipsos | Aug 24, 2026Aug 24 | 41% | 35% | +6 |
| Verasight | Aug 19, 2026Aug 19 | 49% | 43% | +6 |
| Emerson College | Aug 17, 2026Aug 17 | 51% | 43% | +8 |
| Echelon Insights | Aug 17, 2026Aug 17 | 50% | 44% | +6 |
| The Bullfinch Group | Aug 17, 2026Aug 17 | 42% | 37% | +5 |
| YouGov | Aug 17, 2026Aug 17 | 46% | 39% | +7 |
Presidential Approval Tracker
Every publicly released poll asking Americans whether or not they approve of the job Donald Trump is doing as President of the United States, averaged and weighted the same way as the generic ballot. Midterm elections are usually treated by voters as referendums on the President, making this a key indicator for how voters may shift between now and November.
| Pollster | Date | ApproveApp. | DisapproveDis. | Net |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Focaldata | Sep 2, 2026Sep 2 | 36% | 59% | -23 |
| SurveyMonkey | Sep 1, 2026Sep 1 | 36% | 64% | -28 |
| RMG Research | Sep 1, 2026Sep 1 | 46% | 52% | -6 |
| YouGov | Aug 31, 2026Aug 31 | 38% | 60% | -22 |
| ActiVote | Aug 31, 2026Aug 31 | 38% | 56% | -19 |
| Ipsos | Aug 31, 2026Aug 31 | 37% | 62% | -25 |
| HarrisX/Harris Poll | Aug 30, 2026Aug 30 | 48% | 51% | -3 |
| Morning Consult | Aug 30, 2026Aug 30 | 41% | 55% | -14 |
| TIPP Insights | Aug 28, 2026Aug 28 | 38% | 52% | -14 |
| Quantus Insights | Aug 28, 2026Aug 28 | 42% | 57% | -15 |