New poll finds soaring cost of living is the decisive issue as Americans deliver verdict on Trump

New poll finds soaring cost of living is the decisive issue as Americans deliver verdict on Trump The nationwide poll also found a broad swath of the U.S.electorate saw their vote in Tuesday's congressional midterm elections as a way to oppose the Republican president - Bookmark - CommentsGo to comments Become an Independent member to bookmark this article Already a member? Log in The cost of living is the decisive issue for American voters as they go to the polls in Tuesday's midterm elections, which will settle control of Congress for the final two years of President Donald Trump's term. Nearly half of registered voters, 48%, named the cost of living as the top issue in deciding how they would vote, according to a Reuters/Ipsos poll of 1,765 U.S. adults conducted nationwide from Thursday through Monday. Democratic norms came second at 26%, with immigration third at 13%. The survey, which has a margin of error of 3 percentage points for registered voters, differs from an exit poll, which surveys voters as they leave polling stations. The economy Americans' household finances have deteriorated since January 2025, when Trump returned to power, according to 49% of respondents, compared with 13% who said their finances had improved and 37% who said things were about the same. Trump campaigned ahead of the November 2024 presidential election on a promise to turbocharge the economy, but his presidential approval has fallen in recent months to the lowest levels of his political career, including among Hispanic Americans who swung in his direction in 2024. In the latest poll, 54% of Hispanics said their household finances had suffered, while 10% said they had improved. ‘No more wars’ Fuel prices in the U.S. have surged since the start of the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran in February. Trump has argued that war was necessary to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons. Only 25% of voters think the military action has been worth the cost, while 55% say it has not. Another 18% were not sure. Trump told supporters to vote as if he were on the ballot Trump has urged his supporters to pretend he is on the ballot to energize his Republican Party. The poll found that 48% of people who planned to vote, or already had done so, thought of their ballots as a vote against Trump, compared to 25% who said they were voting for him. A further 25% said Trump was not a factor in their vote. Election integrity Voters overall trust the U.S. electoral process, with 77% saying they are confident their ballots will be counted. Even so, 45% said they think voter fraud is widespread. Trump has falsely claimed that massive numbers of non-citizens vote illegally, and election officials worry the administration could disrupt the election or certification of results it views unfavorably. The White House says its goal is to safeguard election integrity and voting security. The ultra-rich face few limits on how much they can spend to influence federal elections. A bipartisan majority of registered voters, including 93% of Democrats and 71% of Republicans, think it is inappropriate for billionaires to contribute tens of millions of dollars to influence elections. Other issues Some 38% of voters ahead of the election said keeping transgender girls and women out of women's sports was a very important issue or the most important issue, compared to 25% who said that about protecting the rights of transgender people. Limiting the construction of data centers used to power AI was rated very important or the most important issue by 42% of registered voters in the poll. Some 43% of registered voters in the poll said Democrats had at least some good ideas, while 39% said the same of Republicans. While poll respondents appeared to narrowly favor Democrats over Republicans for this year's congressional elections, they remain divided on which party has good ideas. Join our commenting forum Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies Comments