Final polls show Democrats leading Republicans ahead of Nov 3 US midterms
The gist
An NBC News poll conducted Oct 28-30 puts Democrats ahead of Republicans 52%-45% for Congress.
The size of the lead matters for the House, but Senate control stays much less certain.
How it unfolded
- Oct 21, 2026In a Politico roundtable, pollsters say independents are "incredibly negative" toward the GOP and leaning heavily toward Democrats on the generic ballot.
- Oct 23, 2026A New York Times/Siena poll finds nearly three-quarters of voters trust the accuracy of elections, while 23 percent do not, up from 17 percent for the 2024 presidential election.
- Oct 26, 2026A Reuters/Ipsos poll shows registered voters favoring Democrats over Republicans 47% to 36% on the generic ballot; with undecided leaners factored in, Democrats lead 50% to 41%.