A new Reuters/Ipsos poll shows Americans now trust Democrats more than Republicans to manage the Economy for the first time in nearly a decade, marking a significant shift in voter sentiment as rising fuel costs erode confidence in Republican leadership.
The survey found 37% of registered voters believe the Democratic Party has a better approach to the U.S. economy, compared with 36% who favor Republicans. Another 27% said they were unsure or preferred a different party. The narrow margin represents a reversal from recent years when Republicans held a consistent advantage on economic stewardship.
President Donald Trump’s approval rating has fallen to 35%, down from 37% in the previous poll, approaching the lowest level of his tenure. The decline coincides with a sharp increase in gasoline prices following military strikes on Iran in February. Fuel costs have surged more than 25% since the conflict began, with Americans paying over a dollar more per gallon at the pump on average.
The poll, conducted online among 4,505 U.S. adults with a margin of error of two percentage points, also found 42% of registered voters would support a Democratic congressional candidate versus 37% for a Republican if Elections were held today. Independent voters favored Democrats by a 12-point margin.
Republicans had maintained an edge on economic confidence through most of Trump’s first term (2017-2021) and throughout Joe Biden’s presidency. That advantage has steadily deteriorated during the current term, narrowing to zero in recent months as household budgets absorbed the impact of higher energy costs.
The administration has stated the strikes on Iran were ordered to dismantle its nuclear program, limit its regional military capabilities, and create conditions for regime change. However, the economic fallout from the resulting oil market disruption appears to be reshaping voter priorities.
While the poll captures the national political mood, congressional elections are determined by a smaller number of competitive districts. Only about three dozen House seats and eight Senate races are expected to be genuinely contested.
Trump has dismissed unfavorable polling as inaccurate, posting on social media that his “real polling numbers” are the strongest they have ever been. The Reuters/Ipsos survey was conducted over a five-day period ending Monday.
