Polls and Survey's

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⚖️ Poll: Americans say rule of law is declining

Data: Charles F. Kettering Foundation and Gallup. Chart: Noah Bressner/Axios Visuals A majority of Americans (56%) say the rule of law in the U.S. is weaker now than a decade ago, when Donald Trump was first elected president, Axios' Margaret Talev writes from a massive new survey of more than 23,000 U.S. adults. 78% of those responding to the survey by Gallup and the Charles F. Kettering Foundation for its Democracy for All Project say government officials must always follow laws and the Constitution. But just 28% trust that political leaders will be held accountable if they don't. Keep reading.

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Trump’s rural base is feeling squeezed by the cost of living, new AP-KFF poll finds  About half of rural American voters believe the economy is worse off now than when President Donald Trump returned to office, according to a new survey that points to economic frustration among a key group that has backed Trump and other Republicans in recent elections. Read more.

What to know: The costs of groceries, gas and healthcare rank as top pain points for the rural voters, who were surveyed over two weeks starting in mid-August. And a larger share than among voters overall say they are worried about being able to afford groceries or gas. At the same time, about half of rural voters approve of Trump’s job performance, more than among U.S. adults overall in separate AP-NORC polling. The findings suggest that many rural voters haven’t turned on Trump but that they also largely don’t think he has delivered the economic renaissance he promised on the campaign trail.

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✊ Chart du jour: Socialism rising

Data: Gallup. Chart: Neal Rothschild/Axios Americans' views of socialism have reached a record high, with 43% saying they view it positively, Axios' Neal Rothschild writes from a new Gallup poll. Why it matters: President Trump has called democratic socialists the "biggest threat to our nation." But congressional Republican candidates are being warned that socialism isn't a strong attack line. 💥 By the numbers: The share of Americans who feel positively about socialism jumped from 39% to 43% in the past year. That shift came entirely from independents: positive views of socialism rose 8 points among that group since last year, to 45%. Reality check: Socialism remains less popular than capitalism, which 55% of Americans view positively.

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Most Americans blame Trump for higher prices as his economic approval hits a new low, a new AP-NORC poll shows The new poll finds a majority, 65%, now blame the president’s policies for persistently high costs more than factors outside of his control, signaling growing weariness over his aggressive use of tariffs and continued unhappiness with the war with Iran. Read more.

What to know: Over the last few months, Americans have grown more worried about being able to afford basics like groceries and gas. About half of U.S. adults now say they are “extremely” or “very” concerned about being able to fill their tanks, up from 39% in July. About half are also highly concerned about being able to afford food.   President Donald Trump’s struggles on the issue mark a significant departure from his first term, when the economy was often a point of strength. About 7 in 10 Americans say Trump’s handling of the cost of living has been “worse than expected.”   That includes roughly half of Republicans, who are also broadly concerned about being able to afford groceries and gas. Despite their frustration, most Republicans — 67% —  say factors outside of Trump’s control are more to blame for high prices.

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Voters favor Democrats on key issues but lack faith in either party to solve problems: AP-NORC poll

Aaron Siever was never a single-party voter. But now, the 41-year-old from southwest Virginia is more frustrated than ever with the two political parties whose chief accomplishment, he says, is blaming each other for getting little done. Read More.

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Democrats more trusted on healthcare costs, survey shows

WASHINGTON — Democrats are more motivated to vote in November’s midterm elections than Republicans, potentially giving the party an advantage to flip at least one chamber of Congress, according to a poll released Tuesday by the nonpartisan health organization KFF.

https://floridaphoenix.com/2026/10/06/repub/democrats-more-trusted-on-healthcare-costs-survey-shows/?

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Americans' food faith plummets

Data: Gallup. Chart: Avery Lotz/Axios Americans' confidence in food safety has plummeted to new lows amid several high-profile recalls, Axios' Avery Lotz reports from a new Gallup poll. By the numbers: Less than half of U.S. adults say they have a great deal (11%) or a fair amount (36%) of confidence in the federal government to ensure food safety, according to the poll, which was conducted last month. A majority has not much or no confidence in the government's ability to police their food — a first in Gallup's poll, which has been conducted intermittently for over two decades. 🛒 Americans' confidence in food sold at grocery stores has also dropped, falling to a record low of 65% saying they are somewhat or very confident. That's down from 81% in 2019. 🖼️ The big picture: This summer saw a flurry of overlapping recalls and FDA investigations, while health experts warned that Trump administration cuts had weakened public health and food safety infrastructure. Gallup's poll was conducted around the time the federal government declared the end to an outbreak of cyclospora, a parasite that caused stomach illnesses, two deaths and more than 500 hospitalizations across 21 states. Go deeper ... Explore the data.

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Single-payer shock poll

Illustration: Sarah Grillo/Axios

Supporters of Medicare for All now outnumber opponents by nearly 2-to-1, according to a new Axios-Ipsos American Health Index survey of U.S. adults. Two-thirds of survey respondents — and half of Republicans — said the federal government should be willing to spend more tax dollars to lower health care costs for Americans. Why it matters: With three weeks to go before the midterm elections, and private health insurance premiums and prescription prices crushing voters, the findings suggest a path for swing-state candidates who embrace socialized medicine, Axios' Margaret Talev writes. Resistance to the idea has changed markedly since recent campaign cycles, when centrist Democrats were likelier to embrace a public health insurance option or a version of Medicare for All that still allows private insurance. 🧮 By the numbers: 43% of Americans said they support the idea of establishing a "Medicare for All" program to provide government-run health insurance to all, largely replacing private health insurance. 24% oppose the idea and 32% say they aren't sure. Nearly half of independents (47%) support it, as do 62% of Democrats. 21% of Republicans support Medicare for All, and 27% are undecided, compared with 52% who oppose the idea. 👀 What we're watching: Respondents said they'd be more likely to support congressional candidates who favor: Expanding government help with health care costs. Restoring the enhanced Affordable Care Act tax credits that expired at the start of this year. Expanding prescription drug discount programs. More from the poll ...

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📊 Poll: Texas is choosin' Dems

Illustration: Brendan Lynch/Axios Texas Democrats are for the first time polling slightly ahead of Republicans in several big statewide races, Axios Austin's Nicole Cobler writes from a new University of Texas/Texas Politics Project poll. By the numbers: Democratic U.S. Senate candidate James Talarico maintains a slim lead (50%-47%) over Republican Ken Paxton. In the governor's race, Democrat Gina Hinojosa leads Republican incumbent Greg Abbott 49% to 48%. For lieutenant governor, Democrat Vikki Goodwin leads Republican Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick 49% to 46%. Democrat Nathan Johnson leads Republican Mayes Middleton 48% to 47% in the attorney general's race. ✅ Reality check: All of these results are within the margin of error. Go deeper ...

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Frustrated with Trump, voters overwhelmingly want change in Washington, AP-NORC poll finds A strong majority of voters believe that President Donald Trump is falling short at home and abroad, and they want major change in the upcoming midterm elections, according to a new AP-NORC poll that raises serious warning signs for the Republican Party at a critical moment. Read more.

What to know: One thing is crystal clear on the eve of the 2026 midterms: Voters want change. About half of voters say they want “substantial change” and roughly 3 in 10 want “complete and total upheaval” in the way the country is run. Democrats and independents are much likelier than Republicans to want a full overhaul of the country’s direction. But even Republican voters are still looking for something different. Slightly fewer than half, 45%, want substantial change, while 13% want upheaval.   About 8 in 10 voters overall say the economy or the cost of living is among their top issues for the upcoming election, while about two-thirds say this about health care and the war in Iran. Other issues that are stronger for Trump — like immigration or crime — are lower priorities.

ps:Seems to many forgot his first term and all the chaos!!

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Democrats’ faith in election results is falling but still exceeds that of Republicans, AP-NORC poll finds Registered voters who identify as Democrats have lost faith in America’s election results since the midterm elections four years ago, according to a new AP-NORC poll. Their confidence that votes will be counted accurately has dropped from 75% in 2022 to 55% this year. Read more.

Why this matters: The overwhelming majority of Democratic voters say the president attempting to influence U.S. elections is a “major problem,” a view that is shared by independents but not most Republicans. Meanwhile, Republican voters’ confidence in the results has risen slightly since 2022 — but they’re still less likely to say they have faith in the electoral process than Democrats. Republicans are more concerned about people voting who are not eligible.   A majority of voters from both parties also say that foreign governments trying to influence election outcomes, AI-generated election misinformation and states redrawing legislative districts to intentionally favor one party are “major problems.”

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Voters want the next Congress to focus on costs and Iran, not Trump, a new AP-NORC poll shows About 8 in 10 registered voters, including a large majority of Republicans and Democrats, say lowering the cost of living should be one of the highest priorities for the session coming up, according to a new AP-NORC poll. Most voters also want Congress to prioritize ending the war with Iran, with roughly 7 in 10 saying this should be a top focus. Read more.

What to know: Substantially fewer voters, about 4 in 10, want Congress to make investigating the Trump administration a high priority, and only about 2 in 10 want Congress to prioritize supporting Trump's agenda. But the poll also indicates that there are deep divisions within the parties on what to focus on. Most Democratic voters who identify as supporters of democratic socialism are hoping for a Congress that will investigate the Trump administration, and many want to end military aid to Israel, while MAGA Republicans are interested in Congress supporting Trump’s agenda. Moderates in both parties, meanwhile, are much likelier to want Democrats and Republicans to find common ground.

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Anti-Trumpism fuels youth vote

Data: Harvard Youth Poll, Fall 2026; Chart: Emily Peck/Axios Nearly 2 in 3 U.S. adults younger than 30 who plan to vote in the upcoming midterms say their main motivation is to oppose President Trump and his policies, Emily Peck and Margaret Talev report from a new Harvard Youth Poll. 77% of respondents disapprove of the president's handling of the economy, including about half of young Republicans. Just 9% say the U.S. is headed in the right direction — the lowest in the survey's history. 💸 Topping the list of what young people consider serious threats to their long-term financial security: rising prices and the cost of living (79%), the power of large corporations (68%) and trade wars (68%). Nearly half said that their household is struggling to make ends meet or is getting by with limited financial security. Data: Harvard Youth Poll; Chart: Emily Peck/Axios Stunning stat: For the first time in the poll's history, the share of young adults who said they expect to be worse off than their parents (27%) slightly exceeded the share who said they expect to be better off (25%). The difference was within the poll's margin of error, but the longer-term trend is striking. In the fall of 2021, 39% expected to be better off than their parents, while just 17% expected to be worse off. Go deeper ... Explore the data.