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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| McLaughlin & Associates | Jul 21, 2026Jul 21 | 46% | 44% | +2 |
| YouGov | Jul 20, 2026Jul 20 | 46% | 41% | +5 |
| Beacon Research/Shaw & Co. Research | Jul 20, 2026Jul 20 | 53% | 46% | +7 |
| J.L. Partners | Jul 20, 2026Jul 20 | 50% | 41% | +9 |
| Emerson College | Jul 20, 2026Jul 20 | 53% | 42% | +11 |
| Verasight | Jul 17, 2026Jul 17 | 50% | 43% | +7 |
| Change Research | Jul 17, 2026Jul 17 | 46% | 38% | +8 |
| Alpharoc | Jul 14, 2026Jul 14 | 42% | 37% | +5 |
| RMG Research | Jul 14, 2026Jul 14 | 47% | 45% | +2 |
| Ipsos | Jul 13, 2026Jul 13 | 48% | 45% | +3 |
| Echelon Insights | Jul 13, 2026Jul 13 | 50% | 44% | +6 |
| YouGov | Jul 13, 2026Jul 13 | 46% | 42% | +4 |
| Pew Research Center | Jul 12, 2026Jul 12 | 43% | 37% | +6 |
| Hart Research Associates/Public Opinion Strategies | Jul 12, 2026Jul 12 | 49% | 45% | +4 |
| HarrisX | Jul 10, 2026Jul 10 | 52% | 48% | +4 |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| RMG Research | Jul 21, 2026Jul 21 | 46% | 52% | -6 |
| J.L. Partners | Jul 20, 2026Jul 20 | 40% | 51% | -11 |
| Emerson College | Jul 20, 2026Jul 20 | 39% | 57% | -18 |
| Beacon Research/Shaw & Co. Research | Jul 20, 2026Jul 20 | 39% | 61% | -22 |
| YouGov | Jul 20, 2026Jul 20 | 40% | 58% | -18 |
| American Research Group | Jul 20, 2026Jul 20 | 31% | 67% | -36 |
| Change Research | Jul 17, 2026Jul 17 | 40% | 58% | -18 |
| Verasight | Jul 17, 2026Jul 17 | 37% | 59% | -22 |
| RMG Research | Jul 14, 2026Jul 14 | 44% | 53% | -9 |
| Alpharoc | Jul 14, 2026Jul 14 | 39% | 57% | -19 |