Washington: As polling stations began closing across several states in the 2026 US midterm elections, preliminary findings from CNN’s Voter Poll showed that six in 10 voters disapprove of President Donald Trump’s job performance, with rising living costs, economic dissatisfaction and political divisions emerging as key concerns.
Nearly half of those who disapproved of Trump’s performance expressed strong disapproval, while around one-fifth of voters who backed him in the 2024 presidential election now disapprove of his performance, according to CNN.
The findings also indicated widespread dissatisfaction with the direction of the country. Roughly three-quarters of voters nationally said they were dissatisfied or felt worse about the way things were going, while nearly four in 10 described themselves as angry.
Economic concerns featured prominently, with more than four in 10 voters saying their family’s financial situation had deteriorated compared with two years ago. Only around two in 10 said their circumstances had improved, while the remaining voters reported little change.
About nine in 10 voters said they were very or somewhat concerned about petrol and diesel prices. Similar proportions expressed concern over the cost of groceries, healthcare and utilities, including electricity, natural gas and water.
Concerns have grown amid a sharp rise in fuel prices after the US launched a war with Iran in late February. Although Trump has repeatedly said fuel prices would decline, CNN reported on Tuesday that the nationwide average price of petrol stood above $4 per gallon, citing the American Automobile Association (AAA). This was significantly higher than the $2.98 recorded at the beginning of the conflict.
Around two-thirds of voters also believed Trump had worsened the country's economic conditions, with most attributing the increase in costs directly to his policies rather than to factors beyond his control.
The poll showed dissatisfaction with other institutions in Washington, including Congress and the US Supreme Court, while opinions of both major political parties remained negative.
Around 71 per cent of voters said Congress was not doing enough to provide checks and balances on the presidency, reflecting concerns about the legislature’s role in holding the executive branch accountable.
On economic management, Democrats held a slight advantage over Republicans in voter trust, a notable development given the party’s disadvantage on the issue in previous election cycles. Around one-fifth of voters said they trusted neither party to handle the economy.
The findings were echoed by voters in Queens, New York, who called for greater political accountability, cooperation across party lines and measures to address the rising cost of living.
One voter said Congress needed to act as a check on presidential authority.
“I’m hoping that Congress changes. We need a check on the President. We need two Houses of Congress. We need Congress to do their job, not be a rubber stamp. Unfortunately, it’s (the country) being led by somebody who wants to be vindictive and not to be a leader of all the people of the United States,” the voter said.
Another voter pointed to the growing political divide and called for greater dialogue among people with differing opinions.
“One of the biggest problems is the division in our country. And what we need to do is be able to sit down across the table, so to speak, with our family and our friends and our neighbours and be able to speak about the issues without it getting contentious, without people getting so angry that they want to fight with each other over differences of opinions. But ultimately, we need to find common ground,” the voter said.
The voter also cited uneasiness over the situation in West Asia and the high cost of fuel, food and living expenses.
“The sentiment of the Americans is uneasiness with the current state of affairs in the Middle East. And what’s happening here with the high cost of gas, the high cost of food, and the high cost of living in general makes everyone uneasy,” the voter added.
Democratic district leader from Queens Anita Jain said political divisions and the need for cooperation across party lines were among the major concerns facing the country.
“The biggest problem at present is that our country is divided, and our communities are divided. We do not want to see that in the future. So we need people who can come in these offices, who can bring people together, who can work across the aisle with the other side, and who can have a mutual respect and mutual understanding with each other. And that’s what we are standing here for,” Jain said.
She urged voters to assess candidates on their ability to offer solutions rather than their party affiliations.
“Please do not go with the party, but see who can bring the solutions on the table for our children, our children’s future, our communities, and our mental health well-being for every American at this point, because America is sick right now,” she added.
On polling day, Trump announced that the US would stop providing Israel $4 billion in aid from next year.
Democratic Congressman Ro Khanna described the announcement as a desperate attempt to stave off a “Blue tsunami”.
The announcement came a day after the US launched limited strikes on Iran’s Qeshm Island in the Strait of Hormuz. Officials said the strikes were in response to Iran firing at a US aircraft.
The midterm elections will determine whether Trump’s Republican Party retains control of the House of Representatives and the Senate or whether Democrats take control of at least one chamber, as opinion polls have indicated.
A Democratic majority in either chamber would alter the political landscape for the final two years of Trump’s second term.
The first polling centres officially closed at 6 pm local time in parts of Indiana and Kentucky, marking the beginning of the evening’s exit poll coverage.
Voting concluded in Indiana’s 3rd, 5th, 6th, 7th and 9th Congressional Districts and Kentucky’s 3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th Congressional Districts. Other congressional districts and statewide races in both states were scheduled to close by 7 pm.
Polling began at 6 am Eastern time in Indiana and Kentucky and continued in a staggered manner across US time zones. California polling began at 7 am local time, or 10 am Eastern, while voting in Alaska began at 11 am Eastern.
Several states reported strong voter participation. South Carolina said it had already surpassed its previous record for the highest number of voters in a midterm election. In one Ohio county, turnout was on course to exceed the 2022 midterm elections, CNN reported, citing Board of Elections data. Iowa was also anticipating record participation, according to its secretary of state.
The elections are being held for all 435 seats in the House of Representatives, 37 Senate seats and governorships in 36 states.
In Ohio, Indian-American Vivek Ramaswamy is locked in a closely watched contest with Democratic nominee Amy Acton.
A number of Indian-American candidates are also in the electoral fray for positions ranging from governor to city council member. Democrat Nithya Raman, who was born in Kerala, is contesting the Los Angeles mayoral election against her former boss, Karen Bass, in the country’s second-largest city.
Indian-American lawmakers Ro Khanna, Ami Bera, Pramila Jayapal and Suhas Subramanyam are seeking re-election to the US House of Representatives. Fellow Democrats Pia Dandiya and Amish Shah are contesting competitive races in an effort to enter Congress.
On Monday, Republicans and Democrats made their final pitches to voters. Trump chose an unusual venue — the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool — to focus on renovations undertaken in the national capital rather than tax cuts, tariffs and border security, which have featured prominently in his election rallies.
According to the White House, Trump toured 20 states, mostly Republican strongholds, and addressed 30 rallies in the last 32 days. Analysts said his approval ratings were at an all-time low and that he had become a liability to Republican candidates.
The first election results are expected to trickle in from 5 am Wednesday, India time.
(With agency inputs from ANI and AP via PTI)