A new Fox News survey reveals that government corruption is the leading concern for voters ahead of November's midterm elections, surpassing inflation, healthcare, and other kitchen-table issues. According to the poll, 60 percent of respondents said they were "extremely concerned" about corruption in government, while nearly 90 percent reported being either extremely or "very concerned" — the highest level of anxiety among the issues tested.
The survey of 1,202 people, conducted from October 9-12, carries a margin of error of 2.5 percentage points. It found that 85 percent of respondents were extremely or very concerned about inflation and high prices, followed by gas prices at 83 percent and healthcare at 80 percent. Only 12 percent said they were "not very" or "not at all concerned" about government corruption.
The results come as early voting is already underway in some states, and as Democrats have pledged to investigate President Trump and his administration if they win control of Congress. They accuse Trump and his officials of corruption, pointing to the president's rising net worth since returning to the White House in 2024. His family's cryptocurrency ventures and his own stock trades have drawn scrutiny from liberal lawmakers, who flag them as potential conflicts of interest.
Congress has also failed to pass legislation banning its members from trading stocks, despite broad public support for such a measure. Last month, Senate Democrats blocked a bill introduced by Republican Sen. Pete Ricketts of Nebraska that would have restricted lawmakers from buying new stocks in publicly traded companies. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) criticized the Stop Insider Trading Act, which the House passed in July, as a "permission slip for corruption" that did not go far enough.
Meanwhile, pocketbook issues remain front and center for voters. Nearly six in 10 respondents to the Fox News poll said the cost of living was the country's top economic issue, and more than half said inflation was "not at all" under control. Annual inflation, as measured by the consumer price index, has climbed from 3 percent in January 2025 to 3.7 percent last month, according to recent government data.
Gas prices also remain elevated, averaging roughly $4.33 per gallon for regular as of Thursday, according to AAA. The high costs at the pump come amid the ongoing Iran war, which has contributed to volatility in global energy markets.
With the midterms approaching, the poll suggests that voters are weighing both economic anxieties and ethical concerns as they prepare to cast ballots. Democrats are hoping that corruption allegations against Trump and his allies will resonate, while Republicans are focusing on inflation and the cost of living. How these competing priorities shape the final weeks of the campaign could determine control of Congress.
