Last Updated:
Only 29% of Americans said a $1-per-gallon drop in petrol prices would make them more likely to vote Republican.
US President Donald Trump gestures after speaking at a campaign rally at Sioux Gateway Airport, Thursday, Oct. 22, 2026, in Sioux City, Iowa. (IMAGE: AP PHOTO)
Many Americans are struggling to see how Republicans can regain their footing as the United States heads towards the midterm elections, with even voters from Donald Trump’s own party sceptical that the president can pull off a last-minute turnaround.
A POLITICO poll found that voters would not necessarily be more inclined to back Republicans even if Trump managed to deliver major political wins in the final stretch of the campaign: from ending the war with Iran to cutting petrol prices by $1 per gallon or creating 100,000 new jobs.
“There’s nothing that Trump can do, and frankly, even if he did something, no one would believe it anyway at this point. The ship has sailed on any external event changing the dynamics of the election,” a Republican operative working on battleground races told POLITICO, speaking anonymously.
The findings suggest that Republicans may struggle to change voters’ perceptions of the party’s prospects, even if the administration announces a significant breakthrough before Election Day.
The poll found that only around a quarter of Americans believed Trump could deliver on several of the economic and foreign-policy outcomes tested. Just 27% thought he could bring an end to the war with Iranwhile the same proportion believed he could significantly reduce grocery prices. Fewer than a third expected him to cut petrol prices by $1 per gallon before Election Day.
Even among those who voted for Trump in 2024, confidence in his ability to deliver was limited. Only 43% of his previous voters believed he could bring petrol prices down by $1 per gallon, while confidence in his ability to achieve the other outcomes was lower.
Nor would such developments necessarily translate into greater support for Republicans. Only 29% of respondents said a $1-per-gallon drop in petrol prices would make them more likely to vote Republican. The prospect of ending the war with Iran had a similar effect, with 28% saying it would make them more inclined to support the party.
At A Glance
A POLITICO poll found that only around a quarter of Americans believed Donald Trump could deliver on several key economic and foreign-policy outcomes before Election Day.
Just 27% of respondents thought Trump could bring an end to the war with Iran or significantly reduce grocery prices.
Only 43% of previous Trump voters from the 2024 election believed he could cut petrol prices down by $1 per gallon.
Only 29% of respondents stated that a $1-per-gallon drop in petrol prices would make them more likely to vote Republican.
White House spokesperson Davis Ingle stated that Trump had built a broad political coalition through the MAGA movement and remained the party’s central leader.
For roughly a third of respondents, an end to the Iran war would make no difference to their voting decision, while another 20% said it would make them less likely to vote Republican.
Other hypothetical developments, including a trade deal with China or inflation falling to its lowest level in five years, also appeared unlikely to win over the Democratic and undecided voters Republicans need to attract. Among undecided voters, few said such developments would make them more likely to back the party, while many remained unsure how they would affect their choices.
“I think a lot of the die is already cast. It’s tough talking to Republicans, unless they’re just incredibly big die-hards. Like, how do they get motivated right now? Democrats are clearly motivated,” Mike Noble, founder of Arizona-based polling firm Noble Predictive Insights, told POLITICO.
The findings point to a difficult electoral environment for Republicans, with voters’ views of Trump and his handling of key issues appearing resistant to change as the campaign enters its final weeks.
The White House, however, pushed back against the suggestion that the president’s influence over the Republican Party was waning.
Spokesperson Davis Ingle said Trump had built an exceptionally broad political coalition through the MAGA movement and knew how to communicate with its supporters. He described the president as the Republican Party’s central leader and most effective messenger, adding that Trump remained committed to retaining Republican majorities in Congress.
Quick Answers
Ask News18A POLITICO poll revealed that many Americans and even Republican voters are sceptical that Donald Trump can reverse the party’s gloomy midterm prospects, with roughly a quarter of respondents believing he could deliver on key economic and foreign policy outcomes. The findings suggest that voter perceptions are resistant to change even if major breakthroughs occur before Election Day.
Ask News18About the Author
Shankhyaneel Sarkar is a chief sub editor at News18. He covers international affairs, where he focuses on breaking news to in-depth analyses. He has over seven years of experience during which he has …Read More
Washington D.C., United States of America (USA)
October 25, 2026, 1:22 PM IST
Read More
Source link
[ad_3]
