A stunning new poll from Fox News reveals a troubling gap for Republicans as Democrats surge ahead in the race for Congress.
A survey commissioned by Fox News, conducted from Jan. 23 to 26 with 1,005 registered voters, shows Democrats leading Republicans 52% to 46% on the generic congressional ballot. This 6-point margin marks the highest result for any party in the history of this poll. The margin of error is plus or minus 3 percentage points, and the survey was carried out by Beacon Research and Shaw & Company Research.
Elsewhere, Democrats hold significant leads on issues like health care (+21 points), transgender issues (+22 points), affordability (+14 points), helping the middle class (+14 points), and taxes (+1 point). Republicans maintain edges on border security (+15 points), national security (+12 points), immigration (+5 points), and tackling the national deficit (+2 points). Recent election results, including a Democratic flip of Texas state Senate District 9 by 14 points, add to Republican concerns.
The numbers are hard to ignore, and they’ve got many on the right worried about what November might bring. This isn’t just a poll—it’s a wake-up call that the left is gaining ground on issues they’ve long used to manipulate voter sentiment.
President Trump, always a fighter, isn’t taking this lying down. “Hopefully, we’re going to change that around. We’re doing great,” he told Fox News’ Will Cain, signaling his intent to hit the campaign trail hard this year to stem potential losses, as New York Post reports.
Let’s be clear: the Democrats’ lead on touchy-feely issues like health care and affordability is nothing new. They’ve mastered the art of promising handouts while dodging the hard questions on security and fiscal responsibility—areas where Republicans still dominate.
That Texas District 9 loss stings, especially since Trump carried it by 17 points in 2024. Even if it was a special election with quirky turnout, it’s a glaring sign that the anti-Trump messaging Democrats pushed in off-year 2025 races in Virginia and New Jersey is finding traction.
President Trump’s approval among independents being underwater by 40 points—a second-term low—doesn’t help. But let’s not forget, Trump has a knack for rallying the base when it counts, and his planned campaign blitz could turn this narrative on its head.
History isn’t on the GOP’s side either, with the party controlling the White House losing House seats in nearly every midterm since 1938. Trump knows the pattern, saying, “Presidents, whether it’s Republican or Democrat, when they win, it doesn’t make any difference. They seem to lose the midterms.”
Here’s a silver lining: Republicans hold a massive fundraising advantage, with the RNC boasting $95.1 million cash on hand and zero debt. Compare that to the DNC’s measly $14 million and $17.5 million in debt, and it’s clear the left is strapped for cash heading into November.
That $100 million gap could be the GOP’s ace in the hole. Money talks in politics, and with Democrats lagging in the RealClearPolitics aggregate by a smaller 4.8-point margin compared to 7.3 points in 2018, every dollar counts to close the gap.
Gerrymandering might also dampen the chances of a 2018-style Democratic wave, where they picked up 41 seats. The maps are tighter now, and that could blunt the impact of these poll numbers.
What’s the play here for Republicans? Double down on border security and national defense—issues where voters still trust the right to get it done without pandering to trendy social causes.
Democrats will keep hammering their anti-Trump, affordability-focused message, but the GOP needs to remind voters who keeps the nation safe and solvent. If Trump’s campaign push can reframe the narrative, those poll numbers might look very different come fall.