What is the current state of US politics?
The Current State of US Politics (as of November 4, 2026)
The dominant story right now is Election Night for the 2026 midterms, which took place on November 3. Here's what's happening:
The Big Picture
Voters went to the polls amid widespread national discontent. Voters are broadly unhappy with the state of the nation, the condition of the economy and President Trump's job performance, with roughly three-quarters of voters nationally saying they feel dissatisfied or worse with the way things are going, and around 4 in 10 describing themselves as angry. Roughly 6 in 10 voters nationally disapprove of Trump's job performance, and about one-fifth of voters who backed Trump in 2024 now disapprove of his performance.
Trump's approval has been sliding badly: 58.8% of Americans currently disapprove of how Trump is handling his job vs. 38.3% who approve, putting his net approval rating at -20.5%, near his all-time low. Trump has the second lowest approval rating heading into the midterms since 1946, behind only Harry Truman.
Election Results So Far
Democrats are having a strong night. Key results already called:
Going in, Democrats had a wave-sized lead on the generic ballot — nearly 9 percentage points on average — a margin that had held steady over the last month. Democrats only needed to pick up three seats to win back the House.
Major Issues Driving Voters
Election Integrity Controversies
There's been significant friction around the administration's election-related actions:
Foreign Policy Backdrop
The U.S. launched limited strikes on Iran's Qeshm Island in the Strait of Hormuz after Iran fired at a U.S. aircraft. There are also reports that Trump is considering resuming military strikes on Iran.
Bottom Line
This is shaping up as a difficult midterm for Republicans, with historical precedent (2006, 2018) suggesting a potential wave against the president's party, though history, polling and "vibes" suggest it could be an ugly night for Trump's Republican Party, though the political map and Republican gerrymandering could limit Democratic gains. Full results are still coming in as of this morning, so the final balance of power in Congress and governorships is not yet fully settled.
Citations (20)
- See exit poll takeaways for the 2026 US midterm elections | CNN Politics
Source excerpt: “Voters are broadly unhappy with the state of the nation, the condition of the economy and President Donald Trump’s job performance, according to the p...”
- See exit poll takeaways for the 2026 US midterm elections | CNN Politics
Source excerpt: “Roughly 6 in 10 voters nationally disapprove of Trump’s job performance, with about half saying they disapprove strongly. About one-fifth of voters wh...”
- The 2026 midterm elections are today and the final polls are here. Which party has a better chance of winning?
Source excerpt: “According to the data journalists at Silver Bulletin, 58.8% of Americans, on average, currently disapprove of how Trump is handling his job vs. 38.3% ...”
- The 2026 midterm elections are today and the final polls are here. Which party has a better chance of winning?
Source excerpt: “According to the New York Times, Trump has the second lowest approval rating heading into the midterms since 1946, behind only Harry Truman. ”
- Election 2026 live updates: Democrats flip first Senate seat with Roy Cooper in North Carolina
Source excerpt: “... Democratic Sen. Jon Ossoff has won re-election against Republican Rep. Mike Collins, NBC News projects, prevailing in Georgia after a nationally w...”
- Election 2026 live updates: Democrats flip first Senate seat with Roy Cooper in North Carolina
Source excerpt: “... Democrat Mark Warner has defeated Republican Bert Mizusawa to win another term in the Virginia Senate race, NBC News projects. ”
- Midterms 2026 results and live updates: Ossoff wins reelection in Georgia as Democrats look to flip GOP control of the House and Senate
Source excerpt: “... Democrat Chris Pappas has defeated Republican John Sununu in New Hampshire's Senate race to become the first openly gay man elected to the U.S. Se...”
- The 2026 midterm elections are today and the final polls are here. Which party has a better chance of winning?
Source excerpt: “Right now, Democrats have a wave-sized lead on the generic ballot — nearly 9 percentage points, on average. And that margin has held steady over the l...”
- The 2026 midterm elections are today and the final polls are here. Which party has a better chance of winning?
Source excerpt: “But they only need to pick up three seats to win back the House. ”
- 2026 United States elections - Wikipedia
Source excerpt: “The lead-up to the elections was marked by an inflation surge amidst the United States affordability crisis, including on gas, healthcare, and food pr...”
- Midterm elections 2026 live updates: Ossoff wins Georgia Senate, House control 'leans' Dem
Source excerpt: “Amid rising mortgage rates and housing prices in recent months, the cost of housing has emerged as a top political issue — in particular among younger...”
- 2026 United States elections - Wikipedia
Source excerpt: “Also, according to two polls conducted by Fox News and the Associated Press-NORC between October 8 and 12, 2026, the Iran war has become one of the mo...”
- 2026 United States elections - Wikipedia
Source excerpt: “In September 2026, two Republicans in tight Senate races — Mike Rogers of Michigan and Ashley Hinson of Iowa — called for a swift end to the conflict,...”
- 2026 United States elections - Wikipedia
Source excerpt: “On October 22, 2026, Judge Araceli Martínez-Olguín of the Northern District of California issued preliminary injunction that bars the Department of Ho...”
- Candidates make final pitches in 2026 midterm campaign; Trump says "we win in a landslide" if his supporters vote
Source excerpt: “The Trump administration has asked the Supreme Court to intervene in its effort to force California election workers to set aside mail ballots from th...”
- Candidates make final pitches in 2026 midterm campaign; Trump says "we win in a landslide" if his supporters vote
Source excerpt: “The Supreme Court rejected the Trump administration's bid to set aside 20,000 California ballots. ”
- Midterm elections 2026 live updates: Ossoff wins Georgia Senate, House control 'leans' Dem
Source excerpt: “"No one should be surprised that President Trump's Department of Justice is targeting me and my law firm on Election Day," read a statement from Elias...”
- Politics News: Political parties, election news, policies, and news from the Trump administration from CBS News
Source excerpt: “The U.S. launched limited strikes on Iran's Qeshm Island in the Strait of Hormuz after Iran fired at a U.S. aircraft, a senior U.S. official told...”
- 2026 United States elections - Wikipedia
Source excerpt: “According to a report in The Atlantic on November 1, 2026, Trump is considering resuming military strikes on Iran. ”
- Politics | PBS News
Source excerpt: “... History, polling and vibes suggest it could be an ugly night for President Trump’s Republican Party. But the political map, not to mention Republi...”