Trump approval falls to 31% as Democrats open 12-point midterm lead, poll finds

About 31% of Americans said they were happy with President Donald Trump's performance in a Reuters/Ipsos poll published on October 19, the lowest-ever figure for Trump in that survey across his two terms. The reading slipped from 32% two weeks earlier. The poll canvassed 1,679 adults, according to Al Jazeera.

The same poll asked voters which party they would support if the midterm congressional elections were held now. In that national test, often called the generic ballot, 47% chose Democrats and 35% chose Republicans, a 12-point Democratic advantage. That lead grew from seven points two weeks earlier, the widest in the current cycle.

On the economy, 40% of voters said Democrats were better at managing it, compared with 33% who selected Republicans. The economy and the cost of living have been central issues for voters heading into the vote.

The midterm vote is scheduled for November 3. All 435 districts in the House of Representatives are on the ballot, along with 33 of the 100 Senate seats. Republicans currently hold a 218-214 majority in the House and a 53-47 majority in the Senate, meaning small shifts could decide control of either chamber.

Past elections suggest late movement is common. The University of Virginia's Center for Politics found that in 12 of the past 20 midterm elections since 1946, the sitting president's approval worsened between July and November, improved in seven instances and stayed the same in one case in 2006 under President George W. Bush.

In New York, a No Kings rally was held on October 17 to encourage nonpartisan voter turnout and early voting ahead of the November midterm elections.