Economic concerns dominate voters’ midterm priorities, while President Donald Trump has not explained how he would determine whether the Nov. 3 election meets the condition he set for accepting its results.
The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research conducted its poll from Oct. 8-12 among 1,119 U.S. adults. Household finances featured prominently: 85% of voters included the economy among considerations shaping their vote, and 84% did so for living costs. The poll’s overall margin of sampling error was ±3.9 percentage points. Trump’s job performance drew 36% approval and 64% disapproval.
When asked about party control, 38% backed a Republican majority in both chambers. Forty-seven percent wanted Democrats to hold the House, and 46% wanted them to hold the Senate. These figures record stated preferences ahead of the election, not a count of votes for individual candidates.
At a press exchange on Tuesday, Oct. 27, a reporter asked whether Trump would respect the result regardless of who won. A Roll Call/Factba.se transcript records his reply: “I will, if they’re honest elections.” It does not explain how that condition would be assessed or who would decide. The transcript also records a question about how Trump would work with Democrats if they controlled either chamber. He said the parties could “figure a way” and pointed to his veto power. He did not say what action he would take if he disputed a result. EconoTimes previously covered the same unresolved condition in Trump’s answer on midterm results.
Midterms are held halfway through a president’s term and do not elect a president. They determine which party controls each chamber of Congress for the next two years. On Tuesday, Nov. 3, voters will decide all 435 House seats and roughly one-third of the Senate’s 100 seats.
