2026 Generic Congressional Ballot
Polling
Average of 3 generic-ballot polls, the last three or fewer.
The right edge is the average of the last three polls, or fewer when fewer exist. Earlier points are the trailing average across 90 days. This is an average, not a forecast.
LV = likely voters · RV = registered voters · ± = margin of error · R-sponsored / D-sponsored / I-sponsored = paid for by a Republican, Democratic, or Independent group · "missed 2024 by X pts" = that firm's average miss in 2024
Average is the unweighted mean of the last three scientific public polls. Fewer than three uses the polls that exist. The rating uses that average when the newest poll ended in the last 30 days. The table lists the polls in that average, plus the most recent 30 days or the newest 3 polls, whichever is more — subscribe for the full history. How accurate is each pollster? →
| Pollster | Date | Sample | MoE | Dem | Rep |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Reuters/Ipsos missed 2024 by 3.8 pts In average | 2026-10-26 this poll | 1164 LV | Democrats 53.00% | Republicans 44.00% | |
| CBS News missed 2024 by 2.6 pts In average | 2026-10-23 this poll | 1749 LV | Democrats 53.00% | Republicans 45.00% | |
| Rasmussen Reports missed 2024 by 2.1 pts In average | 2026-10-21 this poll | 1755 LV | ±3.00 | Democrats 48.00% | Republicans 43.00% |
| ActiVote Not in average | 2026-10-21 this poll | 1000 LV | ±3.10 | Democrats 53.70% | Republicans 46.30% |
| Financial Times Not in average | 2026-10-20 this poll | 1594 LV | Democrats 53.00% | Republicans 44.00% | |
| Economist/YouGov Not in average | 2026-10-20 this poll | 1312 LV | Democrats 50.00% | Republicans 43.00% | |
| NY Times/Siena missed 2024 by 3.1 pts Not in average | 2026-10-19 this poll | 3494 LV | Democrats 52.00% | Republicans 41.00% | |
| CNBC Not in average | 2026-10-19 this poll | 1000 RV | ±3.10 | Democrats 52.00% | Republicans 45.00% |
| Reuters/Ipsos missed 2024 by 3.8 pts Not in average | 2026-10-19 this poll | 1269 RV | Democrats 47.00% | Republicans 35.00% | |
| Morning Consult missed 2024 by 4.0 pts Not in average | 2026-10-18 this poll | 17706 LV | Democrats 50.00% | Republicans 43.00% | |
| CNN missed 2024 by 2.9 pts Not in average | 2026-10-18 this poll | 1206 RV | Democrats 49.00% | Republicans 39.00% | |
| ActiVote Not in average | 2026-10-14 this poll | 1000 LV | ±3.10 | Democrats 53.30% | Republicans 46.70% |
| Rasmussen Reports missed 2024 by 2.1 pts Not in average | 2026-10-14 this poll | 1789 LV | Democrats 48.00% | Republicans 44.00% | |
| ABC/Wash Post/Ipsos Not in average | 2026-10-13 this poll | 2032 LV | Democrats 52.00% | Republicans 44.00% | |
| RMG Research R-sponsored Not in average | 2026-10-13 this poll | LV | Democrats 54.00% | Republicans 43.00% | |
| Economist/YouGov Not in average | 2026-10-12 this poll | 1176 LV | Democrats 49.00% | Republicans 41.00% | |
| AP/NORC Not in average | 2026-10-12 this poll | 925 RV | Democrats 47.00% | Republicans 38.00% | |
| FOX News Not in average | 2026-10-12 this poll | 1202 RV | Democrats 54.00% | Republicans 45.00% | |
| NewsNation Not in average | 2026-10-09 this poll | 974 LV | Democrats 49.00% | Republicans 42.00% | |
| Rasmussen Reports missed 2024 by 2.1 pts Not in average | 2026-10-07 this poll | 1781 LV | Democrats 49.00% | Republicans 44.00% | |
| Center Square/NPI Not in average | 2026-10-07 this poll | 2527 RV | Democrats 47.00% | Republicans 42.00% | |
| THP/MM Not in average | 2026-10-06 this poll | 780 LV | Democrats 54.00% | Republicans 42.00% | |
| Financial Times Not in average | 2026-10-06 this poll | 2275 LV | Democrats 52.00% | Republicans 44.00% | |
| Economist/YouGov Not in average | 2026-10-05 this poll | 1173 LV | Democrats 51.00% | Republicans 40.00% | |
| Reuters/Ipsos missed 2024 by 3.8 pts Not in average | 2026-10-05 this poll | 3526 RV | Democrats 44.00% | Republicans 37.00% | |
| Pew Research Center Not in average | 2026-10-04 this poll | 3917 RV | Democrats 44.00% | Republicans 36.00% | |
| ActiVote Not in average | 2026-10-02 this poll | 1000 LV | ±3.10 | Democrats 52.20% | Republicans 47.80% |
| Cygnal R-sponsored missed 2024 by 4.2 pts Not in average | 2026-10-02 this poll | 1500 LV | Democrats 52.00% | Republicans 43.00% | |
| YouGov - CBS News Not in average | 2026-10-02 this poll | 1572 LV | Democrats 54.00% | Republicans 45.00% | |
| I&I/TIPP R-sponsored missed 2024 by 2.5 pts Not in average | 2026-10-01 this poll | 1328 RV | Democrats 46.00% | Republicans 42.00% | |
| Quantus Not in average | 2026-09-30 this poll | LV | Democrats 50.90% | Republicans 41.10% | |
| Harvard-Harris missed 2024 by 6.9 pts Not in average | 2026-09-28 this poll | LV | Democrats 51.00% | Republicans 49.00% | |
| Economist/YouGov Not in average | 2026-09-28 this poll | 1007 LV | Democrats 53.00% | Republicans 38.00% | |
| Rasmussen Reports missed 2024 by 2.1 pts Not in average | 2026-09-27 this poll | 1794 LV | Democrats 47.00% | Republicans 44.00% | |
| Quinnipiac missed 2024 by 3.0 pts Not in average | 2026-09-27 this poll | 1032 RV | Democrats 51.00% | Republicans 39.00% |
Questions About the Generic Ballot
Which party is winning the 2026 generic congressional ballot?
Democrats lead by 7.3 points in the PollingSource generic-ballot average — 51.3% to 44% across 3 polls, the last three or fewer.
What is the generic congressional ballot?
The generic congressional ballot asks voters which party they would support for Congress without naming candidates. It is a standard indicator of the national political environment heading into the November 3, 2026 midterm elections.
What does the latest generic-ballot poll say?
The most recent public poll, from Reuters/Ipsos (completed October 26, 2026), found Democrats at 53% and Republicans at 44%.
How is the PollingSource average calculated?
The PollingSource average is the unweighted mean of the last three scientific public polls, or fewer when fewer exist. We do not exclude pollsters. The table lists recent polls, including ones that are not in those three, with pollster, field dates, sample size, and margin of error. Full details: pollingsource.com/methodology.