A Crack in the Polling Floor Puts Trump in New Territory
Nate Cohn, The New York Times [unlocked]
A 37 percent approval rating in a new Times/Siena poll suggests the G.O.P. is facing a big midterm problem despite recent redistricting gains.

Stress, uncertainty as economy views decline; many voice frustration with Trump's economic approach, CBS News poll finds
Anthony Salvanto, Fred Backus and Jennifer De Pinto, CBS News
• Two-thirds of the country say the president's policies are making the economy worse, at least in the short term.
• Three-quarters of Americans say incomes aren't keeping up with inflation.
• A growing number feel opportunities are worse for them than for their parents' generation.
• Most people worry that AI will take jobs.

Buy Now, Pay Later in U.S. Shopping
Sarah Elizabeth Hogenboom-Jones, Gallup
About half of Americans have used an installment plan for an online purchase, but a smaller 27% make frequent or occasional use of these plans. Usage is more common among lower-income Americans and those who say they don’t have enough money to live comfortably.

How Opportunity Takes Root: Understanding the Conditions for People and Places to Thrive
The Walton Family Foundation
Where — and why — does opportunity flourish in the United States? This is the question driving new research conducted by Gallup and the Walton Family Foundation. Based on a nationally representative survey of nearly 7,000 U.S. adults, the study examines the concept of opportunity at both the individual and community levels.

Why Neutral Maps Could Empower Black Voters as Much as the Voting Rights Act
Nate Cohn and Eve Washington, The New York Times [unlocked]
Our simulations debunk the notion that the act created artificial minority districts that wouldn’t otherwise exist.

A majority of Americans say the country’s best years are behind us
Blen Wondimu, Pew Research Center
Ahead of the United States’ 250th anniversary, 59% of Americans say the country’s best years are behind us, while 40% say its best years are ahead.

Trump’s approval rating hits second-term low among his Latino voters, though many still approve
Joseph Copeland, Pew Research Center
A clear majority of President Donald Trump’s 2024 voters continue to approve of the job he is doing in office, but his rating has declined among this group and the public as a whole – and his standing has dropped more sharply among his Hispanic voters than among his non-Hispanic backers.

Voters Want Predictability, Lower Costs, and Some Government Involvement in Health Care
Searchlight Institute
Voters are split on what the health care system in the United States should look like. A majority (56%) answer that they want a mix of private and public health insurance systems.

Most Americans think flying has become more expensive over the past year
Johnny Sawyer and Amanda Price, Ipsos
A new Ipsos poll finds three in four Americans believe the cost of flying has gotten higher in the past year. Concerns also exist about airlines increasing the cost of flights and baggage fees, and these worries are more pronounced among those who have flown in the past two months.

Why a growing number of Trump supporters are experiencing voter’s remorse
Tatishe Nteta, Adam Eichen and Jesse Rhodes (University of Massachusetts Amherst), The Conversation
We asked self-identified Trump voters about their votes in the 2024 election. Our results suggest that a growing number of them – especially moderates, African Americans and young people – are experiencing voter’s remorse.

What Americans think it takes to be a good news consumer
Elisa Shearer, Pew Research Center
Americans face a variety of challenges as they try to stay informed on news, including concerns about inaccurate news, stark political divides in news sources and the rise of artificial intelligence. Against this backdrop, we asked Americans to describe in their own words what they think it means to be a “good news consumer.”

Asian Americans on the Economy and President Trump
Tina Tang & Aidan Harty, Navigator Research
This Navigator Research Report focuses on economic sentiment among Asian Americans and how they view President Trump’s job performance across a range of important issues.

‘They don’t care’: Our poll shows Congress’ crypto push isn’t catching on with voters
Declan Harty and Jasper Goodman, Politico
Voters are broadly skeptical of the crypto industry and don’t view it as an important issue for political candidates.

Many Americans Pessimistic about AI’s Impact – and Want More Regulation
The Annenberg Public Policy Center of the University of Pennsylvania
As debate intensifies over data center construction and how to regulate artificial intelligence (AI), a new nationally representative survey finds that Americans are broadly pessimistic about the impact of AI and want more government action to regulate the technology.

An Unexpected Solution to AI Economic Uncertainty
More in Common US
New research conducted by More in Common in partnership with the American Service Project finds that the American public broadly supports national service programs as a potential response to AI-driven economic disruption for young people.

Two in three Britons (66%) think Starmer should not lead Labour into the next General Election but are divided on when he should go
Ipsos
The latest Ipsos Political Pulse, conducted between 8-12 May 2026 among 2,191 British adults in conjunction with ITV/Peston, reveals a challenging landscape for the current government, with low favourability for Prime Minister Keir Starmer and a significant shift in public expectations regarding Reform UK leader Nigel Farage.

The POLITICO Poll: Starmer has failed to deliver the ‘change’ he promised
Tim Ross, Politico
Nigel Farage’s Reform UK is seen as more credible than Labour on the Iran war and the economy — and much more likely to win the next general election.

‘My life is not affordable. No one cares’
Jennifer Agiesta, Annette Choi, Ariel Edwards-Levy, Edward Wu and David Goldman, CNN
“It’s more expensive to exist.” “You’re just staying afloat instead of getting ahead.” “It should not be like this.” Those responses to a new CNN poll sum up Americans’ feelings about the economy: They just feel stuck.

Americans Say the Iran War Is Bad for the United States
Dina Smeltz and Lama El Baz, Chicago Council on Global Affairs
According to a Chicago Council on Global Affairs-Ipsos survey conducted May 1-3, 2026, the US public thinks the US action has been successful at degrading Iranian military assets. But at the same time, Americans tend to think the military action has been detrimental to the US economy, national security, and standing abroad. What’s more, except for Republican Party supporters, many Americans are skeptical that the United States or Iran will comply with a future agreement that links sanctions relief to limiting Iran’s nuclear program.

Americans Oppose AI Data Centers in Their Area
Jeffrey M. Jones, Gallup
Seven in 10 Americans oppose constructing data centers for artificial intelligence in their local area, including nearly half, 48%, who are strongly opposed. Barely a quarter favor these projects, with 7% strongly in favor.

Most Americans say AI development is moving too fast and twice as many are AI pessimists as AI optimists
Alexander Rossell Hayes, YouGov
Many Americans express concerns about how artificial intelligence (AI) will affect the economy and the job market, according to the latest Economist / YouGov Poll. More Americans are pessimistic than optimistic about AI's long-term effects, but the source of that pessimism varies with age.

Americans are increasingly concerned about AI exacerbating mental health problems
Jamie Ballard, YouGov
Two new surveys from YouGov about artificial intelligence (AI) and its usage explore AI's intersection with mental health. Americans are increasingly concerned about AI exacerbating mental health problems, and many wouldn’t be comfortable using it in place of a professional therapist.

Americans are becoming less likely to see gas cars as cheaper to buy and maintain than electric cars
Jamie Ballard, YouGov
A new YouGov survey asks how Americans view electric cars, gas cars, and alternative modes of transportation such as bikes and electric scooters.

As Trump goes to China, what do Americans say about tariffs, Iran and world standing?
Domenico Montanaro, NPR News
As President Trump embarks Tuesday on his first trip to Beijing of his second term to meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping, Americans largely view China as an economic rival seeking global dominance, according to an NPR/Chicago Council on Global Affairs/Ipsos poll. But Americans also want to maintain a strong trading relationship with China and would like to see tariffs reduced to keep costs to U.S. consumers down.

Americans Say US Tariffs on China Have Been Bad for Both Nations
Craig Kafura, Chicago Council on Global Affairs
Two Chicago Council-NPR-Ipsos surveys, conducted in the United States March 13-15 and May 1-3, 2026, find that Americans see tariffs on Chinese imports as having been bad for both sides.... As a May 1-3 Chicago Council-NPR-Ipsos poll finds, most Americans see China playing a negative role in resolving the key problems facing the Middle East (73%, 20% positive).

Americans don't think Trump has explained Iran war goals, Reuters/Ipsos poll shows
Jason Lange, Reuters
Two out of three Americans think President Donald Trump has not clearly explained why the country went ‌to war with Iran, according to a Reuters/Ipsos poll completed on Monday that also showed his approval rating ticking up from the lowest level of his term.

Two-thirds say rising gas prices have affected their household finances
Alec Tyson, Ryan Tully and Bernard Mendez, Ipsos
A new Reuters/Ipsos poll conducted May 8-11 finds that 64% of Americans say that recent increases in gas prices have affected their household’s financial situation, with a large majority (83%) expecting gas prices to continue to rise in the next month. With gas prices approaching all-time highs, 86% of Americans say the conflict with Iran bears a great deal or fair amount of responsibility for the recent rise in prices.

Americans See Health Care Costs, Deficit, Inflation as Big Problems Facing the Nation
Shanay Gracia and Steven Shepard, Pew Research Center
Economic issues continue to dominate Americans’ ranking of the top problems facing the country. And over the course of the last year, the shares who view issues like health care affordability and the budget deficit as very big problems have risen.

Voters Lukewarm On U.S.-Iran War, As Majority Oppose Use Of Ground Troops In Iran: I&I/TIPP Poll
Terry Jones, tippinsights
President Donald Trump has worked hard to forge a deal to end the U.S.-Iran war and avoid a wider conflict. But, as the latest I&I/TIPP Poll shows, Americans remain sharply split over the U.S. military action, and strongly oppose sending ground troops into Iran.

KFF Health Tracking Poll: Public Views on Foreign Aid and Global Health Spending
KFF
When it comes to assessing the impact of the changes the Trump administration has made to foreign aid and global health, majorities of the public say these changes have had a negative impact on “how people around the world view the U.S.” (64%) and on “the health of people in developing countries” (59%). 

Young Americans' Job Market Pessimism Stands Out Globally
Benedict Vigers, Gallup
The United States has the largest gap of any country in job market perceptions between younger and older adults, with the former feeling much less positive. In 2025, 43% of Americans aged 15 to 34 said it was a good time to find a job locally, 21 percentage points lower than for Americans aged 55 and older.

What Moms Want: Affordable Healthcare and a Better Economy
Maryann Cousens, Navigator Research
This Navigator Research Report covers how mothers across the country are feeling about the economy and healthcare, including their specific pain points and who they trust more on the issues

Canadian Politics: Carney Government Approval Hits New High as Liberals Lead Conservatives by 10
David Coletto, Abacus Data
This latest wave of Abacus Data’s federal political tracking finds the opinion environment remains positive for Mark Carney and the Liberal government. Government approval has reached a new high, the Liberals hold a 10-point lead over the Conservatives, and optimism about the direction of the country continues to be relatively high.

A Changing Job Market Leans Against Men
Justin Lahart, The Wall Street Journal [unlocked]
Industries that heavily employ men are losing jobs, and the share of men working has flatlined

The midterm enthusiasm gap
Ipsos
Five charts on the political mood of the country heading into the 2026 midterm elections

Consumers continue to feel buffeted by cost pressures
Joanne Hsu, University of Michigan
Consumer sentiment was essentially unchanged this month, coming in a scant 1.6 index points below April’s reading and comparable to the trough reached in June 2022. While the expectations index inched up, current conditions fell back about 9%, owing to a surge in concerns about high prices both for personal finances as well as buying conditions for major purchases. Real income expectations continued a decline that began in March. About one-third of consumers spontaneously mentioned gasoline prices and about 30% mentioned tariffs.

Confidence in Financial Institutions
Joanne Hsu, University of Michigan
The Surveys of Consumers have monitored consumer confidence in various financial institutions for over thirty years.... This year, these questions were asked amid soaring gas prices, concerns about a resurgence of inflation, and continued threats to Fed independence as Jerome Powell’s term as Chair comes to a close. Against this backdrop, this special report discusses recent trends in confidence in various financial institution types for Americans as a whole, then focuses on heterogeneity across population subgroups—political affiliation and stock market participation.

How many Americans think they could beat Donald Trump in a fight?
David Montgomery, YouGov
This week, at a White House event about physical fitness, Donald Trump asked a boy, "You think you could take me in a fight?" We at YouGov thought that was a striking question, and promptly asked 2,609 Americans whether they thought an eight-year-old boy, a typical American, and themselves could win a physical fight with Trump.

Short-Term Inflation Expectations Increase Further, Longer-Term Expectations Stable
The Federal Reserve Bank of New York
The Federal Reserve Bank of New York’s Center for Microeconomic Data released the April 2026 Survey of Consumer Expectations, which shows that households’ inflation expectations increased at the short-term horizon and remained unchanged at the medium- and  longer-term horizons. Gas price growth expectations retreated appreciably from a spike in March. Labor market expectations were largely stable in April.

Americans are more than twice as likely to say that when they were growing up, they were closer to their moms than to their dads
Jamie Ballard, YouGov
A new YouGov survey explored whether Americans plan to celebrate Mother’s Day and Father’s Day, their relationships with their parents, and how they view their in-laws.

Moms, Coaches, Doctors, Entrepreneurs: Who Are America’s Health and Wellness Influencers?
Pew Research Center
Half of U.S. adults under 50 say they get health and wellness information from social media influencers or podcasts. About 4 in 10 of these influencers describe themselves as health care professionals; coaches and entrepreneurs are almost as common

Surveying Teachers on Artificial Intelligence
Alli Aldis, EdChoice
This spring, a majority of teachers (55%) oppose using AI in the classroom, compared to 38% who support using it. That’s an 8-point drop in support since just last fall, when almost half of teachers expressed support for using AI in class.

Only a quarter believe that the U.S. is a great place for immigrants
AP-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research
Sixty-five percent support granting citizenship to all children born in the United States. Fewer, 49%, support granting citizenship to children born to parents who are in the U.S. illegally.

In new poll, Americans voice broad bipartisan support for age caps in Congress
Elena Moore, NPR News
The vast majority of Americans — 8 in 10 — say there should be age caps for members of Congress, as well as term limits, according to the latest NPR/PBS News/Marist Poll.

SAVE America Act meets voter skepticism
Erin Doherty, Politico
The POLITICO Poll finds that a plurality of Americans neither support nor oppose the bill, or are unsure, even as the president makes it a top priority.

How many Americans support Jim Crow-era voting restrictions?
Nathan P. Kalmoe and Michael W. Wagner, Good Authority
New survey data speaks to a future without a strong Voting Rights Act.

71% of U.S. homeowners say their home insurance costs have gone up
Emma Kikuchi and Brian Kennedy, Pew Research Center
Premiums for homeowners insurance are rising fast – and many Americans have noticed, according to a new Pew Research Center survey.

Insurance and Pharmaceutical Companies Blamed for Rising Healthcare Costs
Maryann Cousens & Julie Alderman Boudreau, Navigator Research
This Navigator Research report focuses on how Americans view the healthcare system and their greatest pain points.

6 in 10 Americans disapprove of how Trump is handling Iran
Hannah Grabenstein, PBS News
Six in 10 Americans disapprove of the way President Donald Trump is handling his war in Iran, including more than one in five Republicans, according to a new PBS News/NPR/Marist poll.... Overall, Trump's approval rating remains low; 37% of Americans approve of the job Trump is doing as president, while 59% disapprove -- relatively unchanged from March.

Dissatisfaction with President Trump's Handling of Iran Up
Marist Institute for Public Opinion
An increasing proportion of Americans now report they disapprove of how President Donald Trumps is handling Iran, and more than six in ten say U.S. military action in Iran has done more harm than good. Though his overall job approval rating remains in the high 30s, dissatisfaction with how President Trump is handling the economy has inched up.

Poll finds broad rejection of religion-related messages from Trump, Hegseth
Michelle Boorstein and Scott Clement, The Washington Post [unlocked]
Americans rate Pope Leo positively but are deeply critical of the president’s social media post that appeared to depict him as Jesus, the Post-ABC-Ipsos poll found.

Americans have favorable view of Pope Leo, negative reaction to Trump's Jesus post: ABC News/Washington Post/Ipsos poll
Emily Guskin and Elizabeth Schreier, ABC News
As Secretary of State Marco Rubio heads to meet the pope at the Vatican later this week and amid President Donald Trump’s recent criticisms of the Chicago-born pope, Americans voice positive reactions toward Pope Leo XIV and his comments about war and peace along with negative reactions to Trump’s comments about the pope, according to an ABC News/Washington Post/Ipsos poll conducted using Ipsos’ KnowledgePanel.

Americans are worried about inflation and don't like how Trump is handling it
David Montgomery, YouGov
The latest Economist / YouGov Poll shows that 61% of Americans say the economy is getting worse — the largest share of Americans to say this since 2022, and the most to ever say this in either of Donald Trump's two terms as president.

MAHA Health Concerns Resonate Broadly but Lag Behind Health Care Costs Even for MAHA Voters
KFF
Chemical food additive and pesticide concerns associated with the Make America Health Again (MAHA) movement are shared broadly across the public. But when it comes to voters, health care costs are a higher priority and bigger motivator, even among MAHA supporters, a new KFF Health Tracking Poll finds.

Nonretirees' Worry Remains High
Megan Brenan, Gallup
The persistent gap between retirees' financial comfort and nonretirees' expectations points to a retirement landscape that looks uncertain for those well below retirement age. Nonretirees are less likely than retirees to count on Social Security being a major income source in retirement and more likely to expect to rely on personal savings accounts and part-time work.

Only one-quarter of Americans support letting states draw districts to help minority candidates get elected
David Montgomery, YouGov
The latest Economist / YouGov Poll finds little support for allowing states to draw congressional districts with the intention of facilitating the election of minority candidates.

Most Americans think Trump is at a higher risk of assassination than other recent presidents were
Alexander Rossell Hayes, YouGov
This week's Economist / YouGov Poll asked Americans what they think about the risk of assassination attempts against Trump, the job that the Secret Service is doing, and Trump's plans to build a new ballroom so that larger events could be hosted inside the White House.

Focus Group Report Pt 2: Healthcare Providers Diagnose the American Healthcare System
Tina Tang, Navigator Research
This Navigator Research report focuses on how Americans view the healthcare system and their greatest pain points.

Connecticut: Residents Report Higher Social Media Use Than Neighbors, Most Say Social Media Negative for Society
University of New Hampshire Survey Center
Social media users in Connecticut report using social media platforms just over 24 hours per week, higher than residents of Rhode Island, Massachusetts, and New Hampshire. More than half of social media users want to use it less, particularly those under 50, and a quarter feel addicted to social media.

Massachusetts: Users Split on Personal Impact of Social Media But Most See Negative Effect for Society
University of New Hampshire Survey Center
Social media users in Massachusetts report using social media platforms just over 18 hours per week and nearly half want to use social media less often. YouTube is the most commonly used platform, though the small number who use Snapchat and Discord report using it quite frequently.

New Hampshire: Granite Staters See Social Media as Harmful to Society But Most Still Use It At Least Occasionally
University of New Hampshire Survey Center
Social media users in New Hampshire on average report using social media platforms nearly 17 hours per week, with YouTube and Facebook being the most popular.

New Jersey: Most Voters Would Support Local Data Center Bans
The William J. Hughes Center for Public Policy at Stockton University
A majority of New Jersey voters are concerned about the growth of artificial intelligence data centers and 56% would support banning them in their own communities, according to a Stockton poll released by the William J. Hughes Center for Public Policy at Stockton University. New Jersey voters remain wary of growing reliance on AI and expect labor market disruptions as the AI boom accelerates.

New York State: Hochul Favorability & Approval Ratings Each Drop 8 Points; Her Lead Over Blakeman Grows 3 Points to 49-33%
The Siena Research Institute
• 49% Say New York’s Best Days Are Still Ahead & 32% Say Best Days Are Behind Us; 36% Say NY Does Not Spend Enough on Programs Like Health Care, Education & Infrastructure, 22% Say NY Spends Too Much & 29% Say NY Spends the Right Amount
• Trump Favorability & Approval Ratings Edge Down; Fav Rating Lowest in Current Term
• America’s Pope, Leo XIV, Viewed Favorably 55-19% Nearly a Year into Papacy
• NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani is still viewed favorably – barely – by a plurality of voters statewide, 43-40%, down a little from 44-37% in March and 47-35% in February. His favorability rating in New York City is 56-34%, and it is worth noting, higher than Hochul, 46-37%, Attorney General Letitia James, 49-24%, and Senator Chuck Schumer, who is viewed unfavorably by New York City voters 37-45%.

Rhode Island: More Than a Quarter of Social Media Users Feel Addicted, Most Young Users Want to Use It Less
University of New Hampshire Survey Center
Social media users in Rhode Island report using social media platforms nearly 22 hours per week. More than half of social media users want to use it less, particularly those under 50, and more than a quarter feel addicted to social media.

Texas: Republican Primary Runoff Elections
The Hobby School of Public Affairs at the University of Houston
The Hobby School of Public Affairs at the University of Houston conducted a representative survey of likely May 2026 Texas Republican primary runoff voters to assess their vote intention and opinions in the Republican Texas U.S. Senate, Texas Attorney General and Texas Railroad Commissioner primary runoff elections.

Texas Latinos Flocked to Trump. They’re Having Second Thoughts
Ronald Brownstein, Bloomberg Opinion
The Rio Grande Valley was the epicenter of President Donald Trump’s 2024 gains among Latino voters. The voters here — who are mostly low-income and preponderantly Mexican American — have voted overwhelmingly Democratic for generations. But after narrowing his deficit in 2020, Trump broke through in 2024 to capture all four counties in the valley. The Republican Party’s new congressional maps in Texas, which triggered the ongoing nationwide redistricting war, rest on the assumption that the GOP can cement those gains. Yet visible cracks in Trump’s support are showing.

Trump Is Losing Normie Republicans
Kristen Soltis Anderson (Echelon Insights), The New York Times [unlocked]
We often talk about Republicans as members of two easy-to-understand factions: MAGA die-hards and Never Trumpers. But the most electorally critical slice of the Republican electorate, about half of all Republicans today, generally falls into neither camp.

‘When You Think of It, We Shouldn’t Even Have an Election’
Thomas B. Edsall, The New York Times [unlocked]
Who will keep the 2026 ballots straight?

Democrats Could Use a Cold Shower Before the Midterms
Mark Leibovich, The Atlantic [unlocked]
They have good reason to be optimistic. But they are sounding a bit too giddy.

A Supreme Court ruling could deepen red and blue dominance across states
Philip Bump, CT Insider
The Callais decision could intensify single-party dominance across states, reinforcing America’s political divide.

The Virginia Redistricting Vote: How it Performed on the Old and New Maps, and Some Clues for 2027
J. Miles Coleman, Sabato’s Crystal Ball
• The Virginia redistricting ballot measure would have carried 6 of the 11 congressional districts under the state’s “old” map.
• On the “new” map, Yes would have carried 9 districts, one less than Democrats would like to win on the map if it is used this November.
• The redistricting measure passed in 55 of the 100 House of Delegates districts and 24 of the 40 state Senate seats, suggesting Democrats are positioned to keep their control of each chamber next year.

Trump exacts revenge in Indiana over redistricting vote, with five GOP legislators defeated
Jane C. Timm, NBC News
President Donald Trump exacted revenge on Indiana Republican legislators who foiled his redistricting push last year in the state, backing challengers who unseated five incumbents in Tuesday's primaries, NBC News projects.

With Indiana, Trump asserts his grip on the GOP
Adam Wren, Politico
The president successfully ousted a majority of the Republican state senators who blocked his redistricting effort last year.

'Ohio is back': Both parties navigate competitive midterm races in a forgotten battleground
Henry J. Gomez, NBC News
While Republicans are “cautiously optimistic” about Vivek Ramaswamy for governor and Jon Husted for the Senate, Democrats like their chances with Amy Acton and Sherrod Brown.

How Trump Turned His Ballroom into a Midterm Gift for Democrats
Dan Pfeiffer, The Message Box
Trump says he can't afford childcare but wants to use your tax dollars to build a ballroom

When the Cult Goes South
Paul Waldman, The Cross Section
It’s hard to think of a time when a president and a party worked as hard as Donald Trump and Republicans are now to lose an election. “That’s because they’re idiots,” you might say, and for many of them that’s true. But even stupid politicians have an instinct for self-preservation, one that is being violated every day as they seem to look for new ways to alienate the voters.

America Is in a Red State
William A. Galston, The Wall Street Journal [unlocked]
The national debt is now greater than the annual GDP, and it isn’t about to shrink.

This Trump Proposal Could Result in Millions of Americans Losing Their Retirement Savings
Steven Rattner, The New York Times [unlocked]
A win for private equity. A loss for our retirement assets.

Public Opinion in the Age of AI
Joshua Clinton, Soubhik Barari, Douglas Rivers, Sean Westwood, et al., APSA Preprints
Whether AI enriches or distorts the study of public opinion depends on choices that are as much theoretical as technical; but, taken to the limit, the wholesale substitution of AI-generated responses for human voices may risk a form of epistemic collapse in which public opinion research loses its anchor to the people it purports to represent.

The Cost of Not Listening (with Dave Wasserman)
Hacks On Tap
This week Axe and Murphy are joined by the man who has seen it all—and has seen enough—Dave Wasserman of the Cook Political Report. The Hacks dive into Donald Trump’s frustrations with voters, the latest polls and money advantages shaping the map, and—of course with Wasserman in the mix—a deep dive into key races, redistricting battles, and what it all means for the midterms.

How much is the war hitting American's bottom line?
Consider This from NPR
There already was an affordability crisis in the U.S. Now the war with Iran is making life more expensive. President Trump says the economy is “roaring.” That as Americans are paying an average price of $4.48 a gallon for gas on Tuesday. A year ago it was $3.17. The reason for that increase — the U.S.-Israel war with Iran, which resulted in the closing of the Strait of Hormuz. Gas prices are just one measure of the cost of living in the United States. But they’re a significant one. Martha Gimbel, executive director at the Budget Lab at Yale, weighs in on how the war with Iran is affecting American's bottom line.

Are soaring rural costs improving Dem midterm odds? A report from NC
CNN
On this installment of "All Over the Map," John King returns to Western North Carolina to hear whether the Democratic Party can win back rural voters, and how rising prices are impacting their decisions.

For Trump, Approval Is All About The Base, As Dems, Independent Voters Cool: I&I/TIPP Poll
Terry Jones, tippinsights
With no relief from high energy costs, ongoing concerns over the simmering U.S.-Iran conflict and a widening political schism among voters, President Donald Trump's favorability continued to slump in early May, the latest I&I/TIPP Poll shows.

April 2026 National Poll: Iran, the economy, and the 2026/2028 elections
Generation Lab
A survey of 1,002 Americans aged 18 to 34 on military action against Iran, economic conditions, and the 2026 and 2028 elections.

Senate GOP focused on costs, immigration ahead of midterms, poll shows
Matthew Foldi, Washington Reporter
New polling from the National Republican Senatorial Committee, shared exclusively with Washington Reporter, shows that the cost of living, the economy and jobs, and immigration are top issues for both swing voters and low-propensity Trump voters heading into the 2026 midterms.

Trump voters do not believe that Trump himself shares their priorities
More in Common US
With gas prices rising, the cost of living dominates what Trump voters say they care about most. However, they don’t believe the cost of living is anywhere near the top of the President’s agenda.

AAPI adults have more confidence and trust in medical professionals like doctors and scientists than government officials, and most are stressed about health concerns
AP-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research and AAPI Data
Personal finances are a source of stress for most AAPI adults, along with health concerns. And many are also stressed about discrimination, with 1 in 4 experiencing a hate crime or incident in the last year.

Fewer AAPI adults report hate incidents but racism concerns linger, new poll shows
Terry Tang and Amelia Thomson-DeVeaux, The Associated Press
A new poll out Monday, as AAPI Heritage Month begins, from AAPI Data and The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research finds that about one-quarter of AAPI adults have personally experienced a hate crime or incident in the past year, such as verbal harassment or physical assault.

Majority Worldwide Say Media Can Operate Freely
Benedict Vigers, Gallup
Median of 64% say national media are free, despite rising pressures on media freedom

Two-thirds of Americans say country is headed in the wrong direction: ABC News/Washington Post/Ipsos poll
Emily Guskin, ABC News
As the Iran war has pushed the global economy into an oil crisis and gas prices reach a four-year high, Americans' ratings of President Donald Trump on several issues are deeply underwater with majorities disapproving of how he is handling every issue measured, according to an ABC News/Washington Post/Ipsos poll conducted using Ipsos' KnowledgePanel.

Trump’s Iran war reaches Iraq- and Vietnam-era disapproval levels
Michael Birnbaum and Scott Clement, The Washington Post [unlocked]
A Post-ABC-Ipsos poll shows most Americans call the military action a mistake, even as Republicans remain strongly supportive. Many Americans fear the conflict will lead to a recession.

Americans are increasingly bleak about their own finances, most say using the US military against Iran was a mistake: ABC News/Washington Post/Ipsos poll
Emily Guskin, ABC News
Americans are increasingly bleak about their own finances as the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran continues into another week of an uneasy ceasefire, an ABC News/Washington Post/Ipsos poll conducted using Ipsos’ KnowledgePanel finds. 

Americans remain critical of Trump administration’s approach to Iran
Andrew Daniller, Pew Research Center
Two months into the U.S. military conflict with Iran, Americans continue to express significant doubts about how President Donald Trump and his administration are handling the situation.

The global ripple effect of the war in Iran
Clifford Young, Johnny Sawyer and Bernard Mendez, Ipsos
Five charts on how other countries are responding to the effects of the war and how the U.S.’ reputation has fared over the past year

Trump Loses Ground on Several Personal Traits as Approval Rating Slips
Steven Shepard, Jocelyn Kiley, Andy Cerda, Ted Van Green and Shanay Gracia, Pew Research Center 
Americans’ assessments of President Donald Trump have declined steadily over the last several months. His job approval rating now stands at 34% – the lowest mark of his second term. He has also lost ground across a variety of personal attributes and issue areas.

Job losses, China threats split GOP on Trump’s AI agenda
Katherine Long, Politico
About 3 out of 4 Americans who voted for the president support some form of government oversight on artificial intelligence — even as the Trump administration pushes deregulation.

What It Means to Be “Truly American” Divides AAPIs and the U.S. Public, New Survey Finds
The Asian American Foundation
As the United States approaches its 250th anniversary, The Asian American Foundation (TAAF) today released new research revealing the country is sharply divided over a fundamental question: what does it mean to be truly American? According to TAAF’s sixth annual Social Tracking of Asian Americans in the U.S. (STAATUS) Index, conducted by NORC at the University of Chicago, half of U.S. adults (50%) say being born in the United States is important to being "truly American." By contrast, 77% of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPIs) say it is not, a higher share than any other racial or ethnic group.

Consumer Omnibus: AI, economic strain, self-driving cars, travel plans
Echelon Insights
• AI is seen as more of an opportunity (45%) than a threat (38%), with 17% unsure.
• 74% of Americans say they have used AI in the last 12 months. ChatGPT is the most widely used AI platform, with 46% having used it in the last 12 months, followed by Google Gemini (42%).
• 61% of Americans say the country's economic situation is worsening, but only 39% say the same of their personal economic situation.

What do Americans want to fund? Not ICE, not war, not a ballroom. Healthcare.
Tina Tang, Navigator Research
This Navigator Research report highlights messaging on the new Republican budget.

Public rejects Trump’s ballroom by wide margin
Dan Diamond and Scott Clement, The Washington Post [unlocked]
The president’s planned 250-foot arch and a Treasury Department plan to put Trump’s signature on paper money are also unpopular.

Voters Say Their Top Priority in the Iran War Is Ending It
Data for Progress
In a new survey, Data for Progress finds that a majority of voters (52%) — including 60% of Independents — think the U.S. is not accomplishing its goals in Iran. Only 35% of voters think the U.S. is accomplishing its goals in the war.

Why Democrats can't win more Trump disapprovers
Lakshya Jain, The Argument
Democrats are hitting a ceiling. Could crime show us why?

Two Months Later: Most Americans Don’t Think Trump’s War with Iran is Worth It and See No End in Sight
Julie Alderman Boudreau, Navigator Research
This Navigator Research report covers how Americans feel about the ongoing war with Iran.

American Unity Remains A Pipe Dream As Political Parties Grow Further Apart: I&I/TIPP Poll
Terry Jones, tippinsights
Each month, the national online I&I/TIPP Poll asks Americans across the nation whether they would say the U.S. is “very united,” “somewhat united,” “somewhat divided,” “very divided,” or simply “not sure.” From this, I&I/TIPP creates a national Unity Index, which allows for comparisons over time.

Voters Support a Progressive Agenda Focused on Lowering Costs and Taking on Corporations
Data for Progress
In a new survey, Data for Progress tested 11 policies being championed by the Congressional Progressive Caucus, aimed at lowering costs and reducing the power of large corporations. The slate of policies spans worker protections, consumer costs, corporate accountability, housing affordability, and campaign finance reform.

Americans increasingly feel the economy is on the wrong track
Alec Tyson, Ryan Tully and Bernard Mendez, Ipsos
A new Reuters/Ipsos poll conducted April 24-27 finds that a rising share of Americans say the national economy is off on the wrong track, as a majority describe the U.S. economy as weak. As the conflict in Iran continues to disrupt global trade and oil prices, 61% of Americans say the national economy is off on the wrong track, up from 43% in January 2025.

The share of Americans who strongly approve of Donald Trump's job handling hits a new low for his second term
David Montgomery, YouGov
Donald Trump remains unpopular as his most committed group of…

Americans Trust Canada in Trade Talks More than Their Own Government
Philippe J. Fournier, The Walrus
In a survey of 1,004 American voters conducted April 17–20, Canada remains one of the few nations Americans still view with overwhelming warmth. Asked how they would describe Canada in the context of the economic and trade relationship, a majority characterize the country in broadly positive terms. But the data is shaded with warning.

Trump promised your tax refund would be bigger. Did he deliver?
Jennifer Graham, Deseret News
A new Deseret News/Hinckley Institute poll also finds most voters think they’re worse off financially than they were 6 months ago

GOP’s economic standing slips
Eli Yokley, Morning Consult
Voters are 8 points more likely to disapprove (53%) than approve (45%) of Trump's job performance.... Voters now trust congressional Democrats and Republicans equally on the economy (43% to 43%) — wiping out the GOP's historical edge on the issue at the same time Trump's economy approval fell to 12 points underwater.

Scientists Esteemed by Public, with Vaccine Scientists Seen as Similar to Scientists in General
Annenberg Public Policy Center of the University of Pennsylvania
A nationally representative survey by the Annenberg Public Policy Center of the University of Pennsylvania finds that the American public continues to see scientists working on vaccines in fundamentally similar ways to medical scientists and scientists in general.

More Americans See Driverless Car Future; Few Show Interest
Mary Page James, Gallup
About three in 10 Americans expect driverless cars to be common within five years, while 19% say they would own or lease one

Voters Prefer Cooperating Over Competing With China to Enable Faster Progress on Clean Energy Technologies
Data for Progress
As China rapidly outpaces the rest of the world in deploying clean energy and climate technologies, new polling from Data for Progress examines U.S. likely voter attitudes toward China in the context of climate change, clean energy technologies, and the energy transition.

Democrats and Republicans disagree on what political violence even is
Miles Kendrick and Brian Schaffner (Tufts University), Good Authority
The crux of the disagreement? Whether the government’s actions can constitute violence.

The incredible shrinking Trump coalition
G. Elliott Morris, Strength In Numbers
An updated look at the president's approval rating by geography and demographics shows just how narrow his coalition has become

J.D. Vance’s Approval Dips Into The Red In 2026; Can He Reverse That In Time For 2028 Vote?
Terry Jones, tippinsights
Each month, the I&I/TIPP Poll reports on President Donald Trump’s favorability and approval among voters. But what about Vice President J.D. Vance? I&I/TIPP has numbers for him too, and they make for interesting insights into Vance’s approval by the voting public and his potential as a presidential candidate in 2028.

Consumer Sentiment: Final Results for April
Joanne Hsu, University of Michigan
Consumer sentiment ticked down 3.5 index points this month, now comparable to the trough seen in June 2022. Decreases in sentiment were seen across political party, income, age, and education. Year-ahead inflation expectations surged from 3.8% in March to 4.7% this month, the largest one-month increase since April 2025.

As Roundup maker goes to Supreme Court, Americans worry about pesticides, Reuters/Ipsos poll shows
Leah Douglas and Jason Lange, Reuters
Most Americans are worried about pesticides and oppose shielding companies from lawsuits over hazardous products, according to a Reuters/Ipsos poll conducted ahead of U.S. Supreme Court arguments involving ​Bayer's Roundup weedkiller.

Americans Think Kindness Prevails in the U.S.
Jeffrey M. Jones, Gallup
Younger and lower-income adults, as well as those with less formal education and people of color, are somewhat less inclined than other subgroups to see Americans as kind, though majorities of these groups still do.

What’s the Real Story With Gen Z and Religion Today?
Melissa Deckman and Diana Orcés, PRRI
Considering the Latest Data From PRRI and Gallup