Poll gives Democrats an 8-point edge a week before the midterms as 30 million ballots are cast
Democrats lead Republicans 52% to 44% among likely voters in the race for Congress, according to a PBS News/NPR/Marist poll released Tuesday, one week before the November 3 midterm elections. More than 30 million ballots have already been cast, CNN and PBS News reported. A poll is a snapshot of opinion, not a result.
The numbers: Independents favor Democrats by 13 points, and 71% of Democrats say they are very enthusiastic about voting, compared with 61% of Republicans, PBS News reported. In the poll, 40% of likely voters approve of President Donald Trump’s job performance and 59% disapprove. The survey of 1,280 registered voters was conducted October 19 to 20 and has a likely-voter margin of error of 3.8 percentage points.
A vote on Trump: In the poll, 44% of likely voters say their vote for Congress is mostly a vote against Trump, compared with 21% who say it is a vote for him, PBS News reported. The cost of living (34%) and preserving democracy (33%) are likely voters’ top issues, followed by immigration (12%).
Early voting: More than 15.1 million ballots have been cast by mail and 15.5 million in person, according to the University of Florida Election Lab, PBS News reported. CNN, citing data gathered by CNN, the Associated Press and Catalist, said the count is several days ahead of the pace in 2022. Poll respondents who have already voted favor Democrats 68% to 31%, according to PBS News.
On the trail: Trump holds rallies in Corpus Christi and Lubbock, Texas, on Tuesday, CNN reported. A federal appeals court on Monday rejected the Justice Department’s bid to force California to set aside ballots from about 20,000 people the administration claims are noncitizens, CNN reported. California’s secretary of state says the administration has offered no evidence for that claim, according to PBS News.