Following the Republican Party’s crushing defeat in the midterm elections this week, President Donald Trump repeatedly insisted that the results had nothing to do with a widespread disapproval of his presidency. Voter data, however, showed otherwise.
According to AP’s 2026 voter poll, which surveyed voters in all 50 states, a huge percentage of Americans of every race told AP that their disapproval of Trump’s second term in the White House played a key role in their decision to vote on Tuesday.
President Donald J. Trump participates in a roundtable discussion in support of Wisconsin farmers at Custer Farms in Eau Claire, Wisconsin on Friday, June 5, 2026. (Official White House Photo by Joyce N. Boghosian)
Donald Trump Back in 2016 Creative Commons Photo
Young Voters Overwhelmingly Expressed Opposition to Trump’s Job in White House
60% of African American and black voters told AP that they voted in the midterms, at least in part, to “express opposition to Donald Trump.” Just 4% of African American and black voters said they voted to “express support for Donald Trump,” while 36% said Trump was not a factor.
50% of Hispanic voters also told AP they voted to express opposition to the president, while 40% of white voters and 47% of voters from another racial background said the same.
Among younger voters, the 2026 midterm elections were overwhelmingly a referendum on Trump’s second term in the White House.
A whopping 60% of voters aged 18 to 29 told AP they voted to express opposition to the president versus just 7% who said they voted to express support.
Boomers, or those aged 65 and over, were unsurprisingly the most supportive of Trump; however, 39% of voters in that demographic also told AP that opposition to Trump played a part in their vote, versus 22% who said they voted to support him.
Trump’s Popularity Slipped Amid Iran War and Economic Fallout
Perhaps unsurprisingly, Democratic voters mostly turned out to vote to oppose Trump’s job in office.
However, a considerable 6% of Republican voters also turned out to oppose the president, as did 42% of independents — a key demographic that pushed Trump to victory in 2024.
While urban and suburban voters opposed Trump, a significant portion of rural and small-town voters (32%) also voted to oppose the president.
Trump’s support among rural voters has slipped over the past year amid his ongoing unpopular war against Iran and its subsequent economic consequences, including higher gas prices.
Voters overwhelmingly cited the economy as the top issue facing the country in Trump’s second term, followed by the state of democracy.
Majority of Jewish Voters Voted Against the Republican Party and in Favor of Abdul El-Sayed
Despite Trump’s attempts to win over more Jewish voters with his support for Israel, war against Iran, and nationwide crackdown on anti-Semitism, 67% of American Jews voted for the Democratic Party on Tuesday, with just 32% voting Republican.
A majority of Jewish voters also voted for Democratic Michigan Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed, who defeated Trump-endorsed candidate Mike Rogers despite Rogers receiving support from the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) and other pro-Israel and Jewish groups.
Trump’s repeated attacks over El-Sayed’s Muslim faith, including claims that he was a “jihadist” who was “on the side of the terrorists,” were unsuccessful at flipping a majority of Michigan Jews in favor of Rogers and the Republican Party.
“Jewish voters have consistently favored Democratic candidates in past elections,” the Jerusalem Post reported. “2026 Jewish voters continuing to favor Democrats by a substantial margin is therefore broadly consistent with the pattern in recent midterm elections and, to an extent, presidential elections.”
Trump Refuses Responsibility For Defeat, Blaming Others, Including Fox News
Following the Republican Party’s defeat on Tuesday, Trump repeatedly insisted that his own popularity had nothing to do with it, instead opting to blame Republican candidates and Fox News.
“I wasn’t on the ballot,” said Trump during an interview with Fox, insisting that if he had been, things would have gone differently.
The president also lashed out at Texas Governor Greg Abbott, who was defeated by Democratic candidate Gina Hinojosa on Tuesday, accusing him of being a “RINO,” or “Republican in Name Only,” and blaming him for his own loss just hours after giving Abbott a glowing endorsement and begging his supporters to vote for him.
The Democratic Party flipped seven Republican Senate seats and 25 Republican House seats blue on Tuesday, removing Trump and Republicans from control of both bodies of Congress.
Democratic candidates also defeated Republicans in several prominent gubernatorial races, including Ohio, where former Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy lost to Democratic candidate Amy Acton after a controversial campaign.
About the Author: Charlie Nash
Charlie Nash is a journalist and author whose work has appeared in The Spectator, Mediaite, New Statesman, and the American Conservative, among other major publications. The Washington Post, Fox News, the Daily Beast, MS NOW, NewsNation, Hannity, and more have featured his reporting. You can follow Charlie on X at @CharlieNash and on LinkedIn.
