US registered voters increasingly prefer Democrats over Republicans on the cost of living, the economy and healthcare ahead of the November 3 midterm elections. An Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research poll nevertheless found that the shift has not produced broad confidence in the Democratic Party or in the political system.
On the cost of living, 38% of registered voters said Democrats would do a better job, compared with 27% who chose Republicans. In February the issue had been roughly even among US adults, with about three in ten favouring each party, indicating that the Democratic advantage developed over a period of months.
Democrats also gained on the wider economy, with about four in ten registered voters now preferring them. In February, only 26% of US adults had chosen Democrats on that issue. The movement comes as President Donald Trump's ratings on prices and economic management have fallen and Republican candidates face a difficult campaign environment.
Voters viewed Republicans as especially attentive to wealthy interests. About six in ten registered voters said the phrase focused on helping rich and powerful people described the Republican Party extremely or very well. Only about three in ten applied the same description to the Democratic Party.
That contrast did not translate into strong approval for Democrats. Only about two in ten registered voters said able to solve important problems or focused on helping people like me described the Democratic Party extremely or very well. Democrats were seen as less corrupt or less wealthy-focused, but not clearly more capable.
The findings reveal a distinction between comparative advantage and positive trust. Voters may choose Democrats as the better of two options on immediate household pressures while still doubting that either party offers durable answers. Growing frustration with Republicans therefore does not automatically amount to enthusiasm for their opponents.
The poll surveyed 2,140 adults, including 1,766 registered voters, from September 24 to 28 through NORC's probability-based AmeriSpeak Panel. The broader survey carried a margin of sampling error of plus or minus 2.9 percentage points, while estimates limited to registered voters have their own sampling uncertainty.
The midterm consequence will depend on whether issue preferences become turnout. Democrats can campaign on prices, healthcare and dissatisfaction with Trump, but they must persuade sceptical voters that they can govern effectively. Republicans, meanwhile, must narrow an economic credibility gap while countering the perception that they prioritise rich and powerful constituencies.
