Opinion Today
May 28, 2026
Donald Trump drops to a new low for presidential job approval David Montgomery, YouGov Only one-third of Americans approve of how Donald Trump is handling his job as president, lower than Trump's approval in any weekly Economist / YouGov Poll over his two terms as president, and lower than Joe Biden ever received during his term.... Trump's record-low approval comes as concerns about the economy are as high as they've been in years. For the second week in a row, 63% of Americans say the economy is getting worse, while only 13% say it's getting better.
Americans blame Trump for the cost-of-living crisis. Here's what they want done about it. G. Elliott Morris, Strength In Numbers A new Strength In Numbers/Verasight poll finds 58% of Americans say Trump has made the economy worse — and voters are blaming him, not Biden, for the high cost of living.
Most Americans think congressional corruption is widespread Alexander Rossell Hayes, YouGov A majority (62%) of Americans strongly or somewhat disapprove of the way that Congress is handling its job, while only 16% approve, according to this week's Economist / YouGov Poll. Disapproval of Congress is especially high among the 41% of Americans who believe that most members of Congress are corrupt.
Few Americans approve of how Congress is handling executive oversight Taylor Orth, YouGov Overall, 56% of Americans strongly or somewhat disapprove of the job Congress is doing overseeing the executive branch and holding it accountable; 22% approve. Democrats disapprove by a margin of 75% to 15%. Republicans are split: 41% approve and 40% disapprove.
Americans don’t like either political party. We asked them why. Scott Clement, The Washington Post [unlocked] The wide-ranging criticisms — that the parties are corrupt, subservient, "wishy washy" or unable to handle the president — signal major challenges for both sides.
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Americans most likely to say Democrats don’t stand up to Republicans, Republicans support Trump too much: ABC News/Washington Post/Ipsos poll Emily Guskin, ABC News Open-ended questions give ABC News an idea what people think about both parties. Americans' Rating of Moral Values Hits New Low Megan Brenan, Gallup Americans' negative views of the country's moral values show no signs of softening. However, that shared gloom does not translate into agreement about solutions. Republicans and Democrats remain far apart on what they think the government's role in promoting moral values should be, even as majorities of both party groups say policies have a significant effect on them.
What Political Issues Do Americans Hear About in Church? Becka A. Alper, Pew Research Center Most U.S. adults who go to religious services say they’ve recently heard from their clergy about at least one political or social issue
Fox News Poll: Faith in higher education in the US is collapsing Victoria Balara, Fox News Attitudes toward higher education have shifted dramatically in the last two decades, as the latest Fox News poll shows voters far less inclined to believe a college degree is still worth pursuing.
Hispanic Voters Feeling Economically Strained, Concerned about their Safety and Ready to Vote — With a Clear Message for Candidates UnidosUS Latino voters are feeling economically strained, overwhelmingly concerned about Congress’ lack of leadership and planning to head to the polls in numbers similar to the record-setting 2018 midterms, according to a sweeping new bipartisan survey released by UnidosUS.
Where Things Stand in the Battleground Julie Alderman Boudreau, Navigator Research This Navigating the Battleground report covers the perceptions of government leaders, including which leaders are more favored by Americans in the battleground, their priorities, and who battleground constituents trust.
California: Becerra, Hilton Lead Governor’s Race; Majority Back Billionaire Wealth Tax The Public Policy Institute of California Democrat Xavier Becerra and Republican Steve Hilton sit atop a crowded field of gubernatorial candidates heading into next week’s primary election. Most likely voters support an initiative that imposes a one-time tax on billionaire’s assets. Inflation, cost of living, and housing prices remain top of mind for voters. A record share of Californians are pessimistic about the direction of the country.
Maine: Platner Leads Collins in Senate Race The University of New Hampshire Survey Center Graham Platner holds a dominant lead in the Democratic primary for U.S. Senate following the withdrawal of Governor Janet Mills. Platner leads incumbent Republican Susan Collins in a general election matchup. Troy Jackson and Nirav Shah are tied in the race for the Democratic nomination for governor. On the Republican side, Robert Charles leads the field, followed by Jonathan Bush.
Texas: The Economy Is the Story — And Latinos Are Not Being Heard UnidosUS President Trump’s Latino support continues to erode: 20% of Latino voters in Texas who voted for Trump in 2024 say that if they could do it over again, they would not vote for him. In the Senate race, James Talarico leads Ken Paxton 51% to 24% among Latino voters, with 1 in 4 undecided or saying they do not know enough to say.
Canada: Plurality oppose allowing prediction markets, as most believe betting on politics should be banned Angus Reid Institute New data from the non-profit Angus Reid Institute finds more Canadians oppose than support throwing open the door to prediction markets. Two-in-five (41%) believe they should not be allowed, while just one-quarter (26%) would support permitting them — most of whom want strict regulations attached.
The Democratic lead on the House generic ballot is now as large as it was in 2018 FiftyPlusOne, Mary Radcliffe and G. Elliott Morris The Democratic Party may be in disarray, but Democratic voters are not
The 2026 Races That Could Determine Senate Control Kara Dapena, The Wall Street Journal [unlocked] A tracker to dig into this cycle’s most competitive and emerging Senate battlegrounds Texas Senate to Leans Republican Following Paxton Win; TX-35 Makes Same Move; Redistricting Updates Kyle Kondik and J. Miles Coleman, Sabato’s Crystal Ball With Ken Paxton’s nomination, the Texas Senate race moves from Likely Republican to Leans Republican, as Republicans went with a riskier general election candidate. But, as our rating suggests, riskier can still win. We are making the same move in TX-35, a San Antonio-area seat that was redrawn to have a mild red hue, as Democrats avoided nominating their weaker option. Elsewhere in the South, it appears South Carolina’s House map will retain one blue-leaning seat for the 2026 election. Texas still isn't purple. Here's why. Natalie Jackson, National Journal [unlocked] Ken Paxton’s nomination in the Senate race, combined with the current environment, gives Democrats a shot, but will it be enough? Trump and Democrats Get Paxton in Texas, the Senate Nominee They All Wanted Ken Thomas, The Wall Street Journal [unlocked] Ken Paxton romped to victory Tuesday, setting up November election against James Talarico that has rekindled Democratic hopes in Texas The GOP’s Five Paxton Problems Karl Rove, The Wall Street Journal [unlocked] Republicans didn’t repay John Cornyn’s loyalty and may pay a price in November. John Cornyn Lost With His Boots Off Jonathan Chait, The Atlantic [unlocked] Cornyn, like so many of his fellow soon-to-be-ex-politicians, staked his survival on the hopeless tactic of trying to beat Trump’s team in a contest over who loves Trump more. Why Democrats prefer their own messy primaries David Weigel, Semafor The major US political parties are best understood by looking at Texas and California, whose 2026 primaries tell a clear story: Republicans are run from the top, while Democrats aren’t run at all. How to escape the gerrymandering trap Henry Olsen, The Washington Post Gerrymandering is breaking American democracy. Here’s how other countries solved it. The political polarization of health outcomes in the U.S. John Sides (Vanderbilt University), Good Authority Conservatives are getting sicker, and mistrust of doctors is a plausible cause. Americans Are About to Pay Even More at the Grocery Store Mark Niquette and Lauren Rosenthal, Bloomberg [unlocked] As Americans confront a surge in prices at the pump, another inflation wave is headed for the grocery store. A combination of factors including bad weather, tariffs and a dwindling cattle herd are already pushing up grocery prices at an above-average pace. In April, they rose by the most in nearly four years, and economists say the impact of the Iran war and a potential El Niño weather pattern will only add to pressures into 2027.
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PLAYLIST
UnidosUS Bipartisan Poll of Hispanic Voters: The Road to 2026 Midterms UnidosUS President Trump’s Latino support continues to erode with 25% of those who voted for him in 2024 saying they wouldn’t today; 76% of Hispanic voters say they are “certain” or “almost certain” to vote in November
Paxton's win over Cornyn sets up high-stakes Texas clash with Talarico PBS News Hour President Trump again proved his political power in Texas as his endorsed candidate in the Senate primary won in a landslide. Ken Paxton secured the GOP nomination, beating incumbent Sen. John Cornyn. Paxton will face Democratic nominee James Talarico in the fall in what’s set to be one of the nation’s marquee midterm races. Geoff Bennett discussed the results with Brandon Rottinghaus.
Trump backs prediction markets as states seek to place restrictions NBC News President Trump says he wants the federal government to set the "rules of the road" on prediction markets. But fears about insider trading and his family's ties to the platforms have caused some states to push back. NBC News' Brian Cheung reports.
Are the Courts contributing to democratic backsliding? The Science of Politics The Supreme Court’s voting rights decision is upending the midterm election and raising concerns about its role in democratic backsliding. Thomas Keck finds that the Court has rarely helped maintain democratic guardrails in threatening periods. But the Roberts Court had been showing a mixed record until recently. Albert Rivero finds that election law cases at the Supreme Court lead to more party-line voting, but the cases have stood out less as the Court has become more partisan across the board.
That's Not for Me to Say (with Munya Chawawa) Strong Message Here Fresh from a trip to America, Munya Chawawa joins Armando Iannucci to discuss the political art of saying nothing. Munya recently looked at the parallels between Trump and Wrestling, and talks about how the language and theatre of WWE has inspired Trump's political style.