The Guardian view on the Republicans’ midterms struggle: Trump has circuses, but voters also want bread

With the November 3 midterms less than two weeks away, Republicans are struggling as voters question whether President Donald Trump's economic promises have been kept. A poll released Wednesday put his approval at a record low of 36%, and surveys point to Democrats winning the House and possibly the Senate. Trump is campaigning in Republican-leaning states to defend ground there, according to The Guardian.

Trump took in $2.2bn in 2025, and a new poll found that 66% of voters, including 34% of Republicans, believe he is using the presidency to get rich. In a Fox News survey, government corruption narrowly outranked inflation as the leading worry. Grocery prices have climbed rather than fallen, and gasoline costs more than twice the below-$2-a-gallon level he promised, which The Guardian blames on his war on Iran, while tariffs have not helped either.

Democrats are now more trusted on the economy, and candidates such as James Talarico in Texas are doing better than expected there and in Kansas. Independents are drifting away from Trump. Pollster Rich Baris, who is friendly to Trump's movement, says supporters now see him as an ordinary politician.

Summarized by PolitiKool from The Guardian’s reporting. Read the full story at The Guardian →