As Americans head to the polls for off-year elections on November 4, 2025, a wave of political anxiety and discontent is sweeping the nation. According to a recent ABC News/Washington Post/Ipsos poll, two-thirds of Americans believe the country is "pretty seriously off on the wrong track," a sentiment that underscores the stakes of these elections and the broader challenges facing President Donald Trump and both major parties.
The poll, conducted online from October 24 to 28 among a national sample of 2,725 U.S. adults, paints a picture of a deeply unsettled electorate. Just under a third of Americans think the country is moving in the right direction. The dissatisfaction is widespread, cutting across urban, suburban, and rural communities, and spanning diverse racial, educational, and income backgrounds. The trend is most pronounced among Democrats (95%) and independents (77%), compared to just 29% of Republicans. Black (87%), Hispanic (71%), and Asian (71%) Americans are also more likely than white Americans (61%) to say the country is off track.
Economic concerns loom large in the public consciousness. A slim majority (52%) say the economy has gotten worse since Trump took office, while only 27% believe it has improved. The share that feels "much worse" outweighs those who feel "much better" by nearly 3-to-1. Nearly six in ten Americans with household incomes under $50,000 say their economic situation has deteriorated. About 60% of Americans pin the blame for current inflation squarely on Trump, including a third who say he bears a "great deal" of responsibility. This view is held by majorities across income groups and is especially prevalent among Democrats (92%) and independents (66%), though even 20% of Republicans agree.
Trump’s approval ratings reflect this widespread frustration. The ABC News/Washington Post/Ipsos poll finds that 59% of Americans disapprove of the way Trump is handling his job as president, with only 41% approving. His net approval rating is 18 points underwater, similar to earlier in the year. Strong disapproval (46%) more than doubles strong approval (20%). On specific issues, majorities disapprove of Trump’s handling of tariffs, the economy, federal government management, immigration, crime, and foreign relations—including the ongoing crises involving Russia, Ukraine, and the Middle East. His approval rating on the economy, once a relative strength, has plunged to its lowest point over his two terms: 37% approve, while 62% disapprove.
Notably, Americans are wary of Trump’s efforts to expand presidential power. Sixty-four percent say he is "going too far" in this regard. Majorities also believe he is overreaching by laying off government employees (57%), deploying the National Guard to patrol U.S. cities (55%), and making significant changes to colleges and universities (54%). Just under half feel he is going too far in attempting to end diversity, equity, and inclusion programs or in his approach to immigration enforcement.
When it comes to America’s role on the world stage, 48% of Americans say the country’s leadership has weakened under Trump, while only a third think it has grown stronger. On international crises, 47% believe Trump is dedicating the right amount of attention, but nearly as many say he is either too focused or not focused enough. His recent negotiation of a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas earned him some credit, with about four in ten Americans acknowledging his contribution, but skepticism remains high.
These off-year elections, featuring high-profile races in Virginia and New Jersey, the New York mayoralty, and a critical ballot initiative in California, are widely seen as a referendum on Trump and the Republican Party. As NPR notes, off-year contests often favor the party out of power, serving as an early barometer of public sentiment ahead of the midterms. Virginia’s governor’s race, for example, has gone to the opposition party in 11 of the last 12 elections since 1977. Democrats have been eager to tie Republican candidates to Trump in campaign ads, while many Republicans have kept their distance, wary of his polarizing effect, especially among independents.
The implications for 2026 are significant. As NPR observes, Trump’s approval rating is nearly identical to where it stood before the 2018 midterms, when Republicans lost 40 House seats. Today, voters are almost evenly split: 46% say they would support a Democratic candidate for the House, while 44% back a Republican. Among all adults, the margin is similarly narrow. This near parity suggests an electorate deeply divided and uncertain about which direction to take.
Latino voters are one group to watch closely. Trump made notable gains with Latinos in the 2024 presidential election—outperforming previous Republican candidates—but recent polling shows signs of slippage. Policies such as mass deportations and lack of progress on economic issues have eroded some of that support. New Jersey’s counties with large Latino populations, where Trump saw significant improvement in 2024, could offer early clues about whether these trends are holding or reversing.
Democrats, for their part, are grappling with messaging and strategy. The party’s candidates this year offer a range of styles, from progressive New York mayoral contender Zohran Mamdani, who has energized younger voters with a focus on affordability, to more traditional figures like Virginia’s Abigail Spanberger and New Jersey’s Mikie Sherrill, both emphasizing service and experience. The results may influence how Democrats approach the 2026 midterms, particularly as they seek to balance the demands of a diverse coalition.
Meanwhile, the country faces the specter of another government shutdown. Health care funding is at the heart of the current impasse, with Democrats insisting on extending subsidies to prevent skyrocketing premiums, and Republicans refusing to negotiate until the government reopens. Although Republicans are shouldering more of the blame for the shutdown, it is not as lopsided as during the 2019 standoff, leaving both sides dug in. The outcome of Tuesday’s elections could shift the dynamics, especially if one party emerges with a decisive mandate.
Despite the prevailing gloom, there are pockets of steadfast loyalty. Wide majorities of both Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris’s supporters say they do not regret their 2024 votes—92% and 97%, respectively. This unwavering support suggests that, for many Americans, political identities remain firmly entrenched, even as the broader public mood sours.
The ABC News/Washington Post/Ipsos poll, with a margin of error of plus or minus 1.9 percentage points, provides a snapshot of a nation at a crossroads. As ballots are cast and results tallied, the coming days will offer the first concrete clues about the direction Americans want to take—and the challenges awaiting both parties as they look ahead to 2026.
