Trump Hurting GOP Midterm Chances, Plurality of Voters Say
A new poll shows nearly half of likely voters believe the former president is a detriment to Republican candidates less than four weeks before the elections.
Nearly half of likely voters believe former President Donald Trump is hindering his party's chances in the upcoming midterm elections, according to a new Daily Mail/YouGov poll. Forty-nine percent of those surveyed stated that Trump is hurting Republican candidates, a figure more than double the 20 percent who believe he is helping.
The sentiment is particularly strong among independent voters, with 54 percent viewing Trump as damaging to GOP prospects. Among Republicans, 18 percent share this view, while 77 percent of Democrats believe he is a detriment to the party.
The poll, which surveyed 1,053 U.S. adult citizens between October 1 and October 5, also found that 17 percent of likely voters consider Trump to be neither helping nor hurting Republican candidates, and 14 percent were unsure.
When asked who would be most responsible for potential Republican losses in November, 40 percent of voters pointed to Trump, compared to 10 percent who blamed Republican leaders in Congress. Within the Republican party itself, 19 percent attributed potential losses to Trump, while 11 percent blamed congressional leadership and 10 percent blamed the candidates themselves. Another 24 percent of Republicans cited economic factors beyond politicians' control.
Trump has been actively campaigning across several states, holding rallies in traditionally Republican areas to encourage voter turnout. He has recently visited Nebraska, Texas, Oklahoma, Alabama, and Ohio to support Republican candidates. During a rally in Alabama, Trump told supporters, "When I’m on the ballot, we get everybody. So, just close your eyes and pretend I’m on the ballot."
However, the poll suggests that issues such as inflation, high gas and food prices, and rising mortgage rates are impacting voters' financial outlook. When likely voters were asked which party they trusted more to improve their financial situation, 35 percent chose Democrats, while 29 percent chose Republicans. Twenty-nine percent trusted neither party, and 7 percent were undecided.
Despite the poll findings, Trump has publicly expressed confidence that Republicans will achieve significant victories in the upcoming elections, promising "big surprises" before voters head to the polls.