Opinion Today
July 30, 2026
CNN Poll: Voters favor Democrats by an 8-point margin heading into the midterms Jennifer Agiesta and Ariel Edwards-Levy, CNN Democrats lead Republicans on the generic ballot by 8 points among registered voters, according to a new CNN poll conducted by SSRS. Democrats also continue to hold a significant advantage in voter enthusiasm and have a 20-point advantage in preferences among those who say they are extremely motivated to vote.
CNN Poll: Americans doubt Trump is paying enough attention to the country’s most important problems Ariel Edwards-Levy, CNN A record-high 73% of US adults say that President Donald Trump hasn’t paid enough attention to the country’s most important problems, a new CNN poll conducted by SSRS finds, with just 27% saying he’s had the right priorities.... Roughly two-thirds of Americans think that Trump’s policies have worsened economic conditions and that his military decisions in Iran have hurt the US.... Just 28% approve of his handling of the situation in Iran, 25% on inflation and 21% on gas prices, with significant pockets of disapproval even among his supporters.
How views on Trump’s handling of Iran have shifted, according to a new AP-NORC poll Linley Sanders and Mike Catalini, The Associated Press Most Americans say the war in Iran has not been worth fighting, and President Donald Trump’s approval rating on Iran has fallen slightly since last month, according to a new AP-NORC poll.... Just 28% of U.S. adults now approve of how Trump is handling Iran, a slight decline from 34% last month.
Most say the war with Iran is not worth fighting AP-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research Most Americans say the war with Iran has not been worth fighting, and the public continues to view President Trump’s handling of Iran negatively. Seven in 10 consider preventing oil and gas prices from rising an important U.S. foreign policy goal of the United States, and most say they are experiencing stress over the cost of gas.
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6 In 10 Voters Oppose U.S. Military Action In Iran, Trump Approval Hits New Low Quinnipiac University Poll • In the wake of a ceasefire collapsing between the U.S. and Iran, voters have turned more negative about the U.S. military action in Iran, how long it might last, and the president's handling of the situation. • Forty-nine percent of voters say they are worse off financially than they were a year ago, while 34 percent say they are better off, and 16 percent volunteered they are the same. • If the election were today, 48 percent of voters would want to see the Democratic Party win control of the United States House of Representatives, while 41 percent would want to see the Republican Party win control of the House. • Thirty-seven percent of voters approve of the way U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, known as ICE, is doing its job, while 60 percent disapprove.
Election Concerns Run High Ahead of 2026 Midterms Ellyn Maese and Jeffrey M. Jones, Gallup Ahead of the 2026 midterms, Americans are concerned about election integrity and democratic processes. Their top concerns include political leaders pressuring election officials to change election outcomes (67% are concerned “a great deal” or “a fair amount”), ballots not being properly handled, counted or secured (57%), and voter intimidation near polling places (52%).
CNN Poll: A third of Democrats now identify as democratic socialists Edward Wu, CNN About a third of Democrats and Democratic-leaning adults identify as democratic socialists, according to a new CNN poll conducted by SSRS. They’re some of the party’s staunchest supporters, but many are also raring for a party overhaul at a time when democratic socialists are seeing new momentum at the polls. This Congress is one of the oldest yet. Most Americans think that’s a problem, a new CNN poll shows Rhyannon Bartlett-Imadegawa and Jennifer Agiesta, CNN The current Congress is among the oldest in US history — a trend that is expected to accelerate, especially in the Senate. A majority of Americans see the size of the over-70 caucus as a major problem and want to see more transparency around elected officials’ health, according to a new CNN poll.
The elites aren't who you think they are Lakshya Jain, The Argument In our latest poll of 3,000 registered voters, fielded nationally between July 20 and 26, the electorate wasn’t remotely sympathetic to the right-coded view of elites that has dominated the social media airwaves over the last few years.
Sticker Shock: Rising Gas Prices and Billions Spent on War Are Turning Americans Against Trump Melissa Toufanian & Talya Hamberg, Navigator Research This Navigator Research report covers perceptions of the war with Iran, foreign policy, and President Trump.
More Americans now support than oppose all-day school cellphone bans Jeffrey Gottfried, Pew Research Center About three-quarters of U.S. adults (77%) support in-class cellphone bans for middle and high school students. This finding marks the second consecutive year of rising support for the policy, according to a Pew Research Center survey conducted May 26-June 1, 2026.
79% of Americans support allowing people with mental illness to keep their Medicaid coverage The National Alliance on Mental Illness A new NAMI/Ipsos poll finds that most Americans oppose Medicaid coverage loss for people with mental illness under upcoming Medicaid community engagement requirements. To win over working-class voters, Democrats need to stop talking about democracy Tamara Keith, NPR News There's an active debate in Democratic politics between progressives and moderates about how to build a winning coalition. A new report from a pair of California researchers, shared exclusively with NPR, argues that debate misses the point. The answer isn't centrism, they write, it's respect for where working-class voters are coming from.
Are Health Care Costs THE Top Issue for Voters? Drew Altman, KFF No matter which way pollsters ask the question, health care costs emerge as a top concern for voters. It’s at the top of the list of worries for voters, and one of several problems they say are affecting their family budgets, along with gas and food prices, housing costs and the cost of utilities. But it’s probably over-reading polls to say health care costs are the number one issue for voters, or that there is any single top issue.
Views of Protesting the Government During President Trump’s Tenure Jelani Ince, PRRI This Spotlight Analysis examines Americans’ attitudes toward protests, including views about speaking out against unfair government treatment, and President Donald Trump’s decision to pardon individuals convicted in connection with the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol.
Americans are down on the economy and concerned about costs: Polls Emily Guskin, ABC News July polls show the depth of Americans’ economic pessimism.
The Complicated Politics of Medicare for All Dan Pfeiffer, The Message Box A thoughtful new poll cuts through years of motivated polling — and complicates the story both the left and the center like to tell. Gen Z Just Did the Math on Your $14 Billion Data Center John Della Volpe, JDV on Gen Z Meta and BlackRock are pouring billions into the desert. Young Americans are already counting the water it drinks, and deciding how to vote about it. Why ‘democratic neutrality’ is an overlooked threat to American democracy Matthew Hall, Brittany Solomon and Tyler Leigh (University of Notre Dame), The Conversation How do politicians who espouse antidemocratic views continue to win elections if these policies are so unpopular? As scholars affiliated with the Rooney Democracy Institute at the University of Notre Dame, we analyzed surveys of over 48,000 Americans conducted by YouGov, NORC at the University of Chicago and Bovitz between September 2022 and July 2025 to try to get an answer. A key finding emerged: A significant swath of Americans were actually indifferent toward antidemocratic practices. Maine: Approval of Trump Inches Upward University of New Hampshire Survey Center President Donald Trump’s job approval rating has increased since May in Maine, fueled by increased approval among Republicans. A plurality of Mainers have a negative view of the Democratic Socialists of America but a majority of Democrats in the state have a positive view. Maine: Most Praise Maine as Place to Live but Many Find it Unaffordable University of New Hampshire Survey Center Nearly three-quarters of Maine residents rate the state as a very good or good place to live with Republicans and Northern Mainers more downbeat. Only a quarter of Mainers describe the state as affordable. New Hampshire: Plurality Oppose Restricting Birthright Citizenship University of New Hampshire Survey Center In the wake of a Supreme Court decision upholding birthright citizenship, nearly half of Granite Staters oppose a proposed constitutional amendment to restrict birthright citizenship and legislation restricting the entry of pregnant foreign women into the United States. Nearly half of Granite Staters who have at least heard of the Democratic Socialists of America have a negative view of the group, but six in ten Democrats have a positive view. North Carolina: Democratic enthusiasm shapes Senate race Dana Blanton, Fox News Cooper benefits from stronger favorable ratings, while Whatley remains less well known
Vermont: Trump Approval Falls to All-Time Low University of New Hampshire Survey Center Half of Vermonters have a positive overall view of socialism, while only about four in ten have a positive view of capitalism. A plurality have a positive view of the Democratic Socialists of America and many on the political left say a DSA endorsement would make them more likely to vote for a candidate. President Trump’s job approval rating in Vermont has fallen to its lowest point in his second term, with particularly low approval of his handling of foreign policy. Wisconsin: Poll finds expanded support for Hong in Democratic primary for governor Charles Franklin, Marquette Law School Poll A new Marquette Law School Poll survey of Democratic primary voters finds state Rep. Francesca Hong leading with 38%, followed by former Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes with 16% and Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley at 7%. Former Department of Administration Secretary Joel Brennan is supported by 2%, and State Sen. Kelda Roys is also the choice of 2%. Idaho Democrat is latest Senate nominee to drop out in boost to independent rival Daniela Altimari, Roll Call But Democratic candidates in Montana and South Dakota say they’re here to stay Michigan: El-Sayed has the edge as Senate primary nears Henry Olsen, The Washington Post [unlocked] Polling, absentee ballots and county-level turnout patterns suggest he’s ahead with days to go. Musk plans massive push for GOP in midterms Alex Isenstadt, Axios Tech billionaire Elon Musk is jumping into the midterms with a huge investment in a plan to boost Republican voter turnout, Axios has learned. Trump touted his tariffs in Michigan despite rising costs. Even some of his supporters are worried Jacqueline Ganun and Will Weissert, The Associated Press Tariffs have cost businesses in Michigan and across the country billions of dollars while helping to stoke inflation that has continued to run hot — despite Trump’s assurances that his business background would wipe it out. Who’s Afraid of the DSA? Karl Rove, The Wall Street Journal [unlocked] Mark Kelly and Tim Kaine can’t find the courage to oppose their party’s radicals. A new media ecosystem is taking root on the left, reshaping Democratic politics Ali Swenson, The Associated Press Many progressive-minded Americans have sworn off legacy media institutions. They’re turning to a widening mix of independent podcasts, social media accounts and digital news sites, part of an increasingly influential ecosystem that has boosted this year’s wave of anti-establishment, left-leaning candidates who may not have gotten as much attention otherwise. Why Do We Tolerate Elon Musk’s Racist Commentary? Jamelle Bouie, The New York Times [unlocked] Why does the owner of X get a pass for what he says and does there? The New Red Scare Is Here—and It’s Dumber Than Ever Alex Shephard, The New Republic These Beltway pundits desperately want us to believe that there’s an equivalent of Trumpism on the left.
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PLAYLIST
How power, corruption & lies influence voters' choices The NPR Politics Podcast Overwhelming majorities of voters think that corruption is a problem, according to research from the Brennan Center for Justice. Democrats plan on making allegations of corruption a key part of their midterm strategies, but will that succeed in getting voters' support?
Trump's economy disapproval, midterm money & more CNN CNN chief data analyst Harry Enten runs the numbers, from Americans' approval of Trump's performance on the economy to voters' favorability on photo IDs to vote.