Republican Popularity Falls to Lowest Level in Years – Newsweek

The Road to 9/11
Published
Aug 06, 2025 at 10:29 AM EDT
Senior US News Reporter
The popularity of the Republican Party has fallen to the lowest level in two years, a new poll has suggested.
According to polling by YouGov, the proportion of people who intend to vote for GOP candidates in a hypothetical Congressional election has declined to 38.4 percent, the lowest it has been since July 18, 2023 when 38.3 percent of people said they would support Republican candidates.
Newsweek contacted the GOP by website form to comment on this story.
Maintaining the support of the electorate will be important for GOP candidates in upcoming elections that will affect the balance of the House of Representatives and the Senate. These chambers are responsible for the passage of key legislation and so hold immense power.
Traditionally, the party that does not hold the White House tends to do better in midterm elections. In 2018, Republicans lost the House and the Democrats gained 41 seats.
In the upcoming 2026 midterm elections, Republicans hold a narrow 220-213 majority, meaning a net loss of just seven seats would cost them control of the chamber.
Therefore, the GOP is already under pressure to keep hold of key seats in Congress.
The August 4 poll showed that 43.7 percent said they would vote for Democratic candidates. This means Democrats are leading Republicans by six points.
In July 2023, when 38.3 percent of people said they would vote for GOP candidates, the proportion of people who indicated support for Democrats was 41.5 percent, a lead of 3.2 percent. Therefore, the gap between Democrats and Republicans is increasing.
Meanwhile, it comes as polls have shown that President Donald Trump‘s approval rating is negative in what is another indicator that the Republican Party is losing support.
According to YouGov polling for British newspaper The Times, the proportion of people who disapprove of Trump’s job performance has increased from 52 percent in April to 57 percent in July.
However, another recent poll indicated the proportion of liberals who support Trump is increasing, and with other two years to go until the midterm elections, any amount of partisan realignment can happen.
William F. Hall, adjunct professor of political science and business at Webster University in St. Louis, Missouri, previously told Newsweek there could be a “major shift” in the House makeup after the midterms.
“It is my opinion, increasingly, in view of the extremely negative ratings experienced by a Republican led Administration, it does appear that, barring some highly unlikely unforeseen circumstances, the midterm elections will bring about a major shift in the makeup of the House of Representatives, with an overwhelming victory for Democratic House candidates,” he said. “This view reflects the negative ratings held by a Republican led Administration, virtually in every significant category, related to political success, including the state of the economy, employment, inflation and especially lack of optimism being displayed by the vast number of Americans.”
The Republican Party’s popularity is likely to fluctuate in the weeks and months to come. Meanwhile, the extent to which GOP candidates have appeal will be tested when voters head to the polls in the November 2026 midterm elections.
© 2026 Newsweek Digital LLC

source