President Trump heads into the midterm elections with the lowest approval rating of any president in the past two decades, according to early exit polls from CBS News. Only 38 percent of voters who spoke to the outlet said they approved of the president's job performance, a figure that trails not only his own first-term midterm showing but also those of his three predecessors.
The number is also below the 43 percent approval that former President George W. Bush received in the 2006 midterms, when Republicans lost control of both the House and Senate. That comparison underscores the depth of the political headwinds facing the GOP as voters head to the polls.
The CBS survey found that 59 percent of respondents said the president was a factor in their vote for the House, reflecting the intense polarization of the current political climate. When asked about their feelings about the country, just 7 percent said they were enthusiastic, 19 percent were satisfied, 37 percent were dissatisfied, and 38 percent were angry—a striking portrait of national unease.
Party favorability numbers are also grim for both major parties. The Democratic Party is viewed favorably by 46 percent of voters and unfavorably by 54 percent, while the GOP fares worse: 41 percent favorable versus 59 percent unfavorable. These figures suggest that this election is less about enthusiasm for either party and more about a referendum on the current state of the nation.
Trump and the GOP's standing has eroded in recent months amid persistent concerns over the cost of living and inflation, which have become central issues for voters. CNN's preliminary national results similarly found that roughly three-quarters of respondents said they were dissatisfied or worse with the direction of the country, driven by negative views of the president and the economy.
Six in ten respondents in CNN's poll said they disapproved of Trump's job performance, a figure that aligns with the CBS data and points to a challenging environment for Republican candidates. The president's focus on personal grievances rather than voter concerns has been a recurring theme in the final stretch of the campaign, according to political analysts.
The midterm results will determine control of Congress, and early indicators suggest that Democrats are poised to make gains, potentially putting them in a position to scrutinize Trump's business dealings if they take the House. Meanwhile, the president has continued to clash with media figures rather than pivot to a broader campaign message.
As results come in, all eyes will be on key races, including South Carolina's open House seats and the Alabama Senate contest, where Trump's endorsement could prove decisive. But with the president's approval at historic lows, the GOP's ability to hold the line may depend more on local dynamics than on the president's pull.
