SouthernWorldwide.com – As the midterm elections draw closer, a recent Fox News poll reveals a predominantly negative sentiment among voters regarding the economy, with a significant portion of Republicans sharing this view.
Only 12% of voters feel they are making financial progress. The majority perceive the economy as being in poor condition. More than half believe President Trump’s policies primarily benefit the wealthy, and their overall economic outlook is pessimistic.
A substantial 59% of voters express pessimism about the economy, marking a 4-point increase from June of the previous year when the figure stood at 55%. This contrasts sharply with the optimistic sentiment during Trump’s initial term, where 57% felt optimistic in June 2019.
Forty-four percent of voters report falling behind financially. This is an 8-point increase from the previous year’s 36% and a 3-point rise compared to June 2024, which recorded 41%.
Conversely, only 26% of voters rate the economy positively. While this is a 3-point improvement from the previous month and generally consistent with this year’s trends, it remains lower than the 31% positive rating recorded in June of the prior year. Approximately three-quarters of voters consistently hold a negative view of the economy.
Looking at the broader picture, 37% of voters are satisfied with the nation’s direction. This figure has remained largely unchanged since March but is down from 44% in July of the previous year. Despite a 7-point decline since last summer, current satisfaction levels are higher than they were for most of former President Biden’s term.
These satisfaction ratings closely mirror President Trump’s job performance, with his approval standing at 39%. This is unchanged from the previous month but represents a 7-point decrease from the 46% approval recorded in June of the prior year. His lowest approval rating across both terms was 38% in October 2017.
A mere 20% of voters believe Trump’s economic policies benefit everyone. The majority, 54%, contend that these policies primarily assist those with more financial resources. Another 15% believe the policies benefit no one. The proportion of voters who believe the president’s policies help everyone has declined from 31% in 2019 (during Trump’s term), 27% in 2023 (during Biden’s term), and 23% in 2015 (during Obama’s term).
Opinions on the economy are heavily influenced by party affiliation. Among Republicans, the largest segment, 42%, believes Trump’s policies benefit everyone. Half of Republicans (49%) report their financial situation is steady, and 50% rate economic conditions positively. Two-thirds of Republicans (66%) express optimism about the economy.
The sentiment among Democrats is markedly different. A significant 81% feel pessimistic about the economy, and 91% rate it negatively. More than half of Democrats (55%) feel they are falling behind financially, and 71% believe the president’s policies primarily benefit the wealthy.
Approval ratings for the president are nearing historical lows among some key demographics. Among men, his approval stands at 43%, just one point above his all-time low. For White voters, it’s 44%, and for White evangelical Christians, it’s 61%. Among Republicans, his approval is 81%. His support among White men without a college degree is 50%, only 2 points above his lowest recorded mark.
The 23% approval for Trump’s handling of gas prices represents a rare point of consensus, as voters across the political spectrum express dissatisfaction. Majorities of Democrats (95%), independents (88%), and Republicans (53%) disapprove of his performance on this issue.
On the economy overall, 31% approve of the job Trump is doing, a slight increase from the record low of 29% in May. A year ago, 40% approved. While a majority of Republicans approve, most Democrats and independents disapprove.
Regarding immigration, 43% approve of Trump’s handling of the issue, which is the lowest of his second term but still his strongest performing issue. These ratings are influenced, at least in part, by the 51% of voters who believe his immigration enforcement measures have gone too far.
Furthermore, public opinion on the role of local governments in immigration has shifted. Currently, 53% believe local governments should control immigration enforcement within their communities, while 46% think cooperation with ICE should be mandatory. Last year, the figures were reversed, with 51% favoring mandatory ICE cooperation and 45% preferring local control.
Trust in the federal government has reached a low of 25%. This is a decrease from 32% in both 2025 and 2024. The previous lowest point was 31% in 2023. Trust in government peaked at 54% in 2002 and has not exceeded 40% since 2012.
During the final year of the Biden administration, 44% of Democrats distrusted the government in 2024. This figure has since risen to 73% in 2025 and 83% in the current year.
Among Republicans, over six in ten (63%) do not trust the government, an increase of 15 points from 48% last summer, though down from 85% two years ago. Currently, 57% of MAGA Republicans and 73% of non-MAGA Republicans express a lack of faith in the federal government.
Distrust among independents has remained relatively stable, with 80% expressing distrust currently, compared to 80% in 2025 and 72% in 2024.
Six in ten voters believe the government dedicates insufficient time to combating fraud in federal programs, and an additional 66% state that recent efforts to prevent fraud have been ineffective.
While Democrats (55%) and Republicans (63%) agree that the government is not doing enough to stop fraud, they differ on the effectiveness of recent actions. A majority of Republicans (56%) believe fraud prevention efforts have been effective, whereas most Democrats (83%) consider them ineffective. Independents are the most critical, with 67% believing the government isn’t doing enough and 78% finding its actions ineffective.
