Americans favor Republicans on key issues, but prefer Democrats to control next Congress

Washington DC, September 26, 2025 – Americans trust the Republican Party over the Democratic Party to better handle issues like the economy, immigration and crime, according to a new Washington Post/Ipsos poll. And when it comes to the parties’ ideological positions, 54% describe the Democratic Party as “too liberal,” compared with a somewhat smaller share (49%) who describe the views of the Republican Party as “too conservative.”

Nonetheless, the survey finds that by a 53% to 42% margin, Americans would rather see the next Congress controlled by Democrats to “act as a check on Trump” rather than controlled by Republicans “to support Trump’s agenda.”

The poll also explores views of executive power and finds that 62% of Americans believe President Trump has “gone beyond his authority” since taking office.

This poll was conducted September 11-15, 2025, among 2,513 U.S. adults.

Click here to read the Washington Post’s coverage:

• Trump’s best and worst actions, according to supporters and critics in poll
• Most Americans critical of Trump on crime, economy and other issues, poll finds

Detailed findings

1. Americans express criticism of the ideological positions of both major political parties, with fewer than half saying the views of either the Democratic or Republican Party are “about right.”

• Just over half of Americans say the views of the Democratic Party are “too liberal” (54%), compared with a smaller share (31%) who describe the party’s views as “about right.” Relatively few (12%) describe the Democratic Party as “too conservative.”
• When it comes to the Republican Party, 37% view their issue positions as about right. Still, the most commonly held view among Americans is that the GOP’s positions are “too conservative” (49%). Just 10% say they are “too liberal.”
• Within the party coalitions, Democrats are more likely to express dissatisfaction with their own party’s positions than Republicans. Among Republicans, 80% describe their own party’s positions as about right, compared with a smaller share of Democrats (62%) who say the same about their own party.
• On a set of key issues, the GOP holds an edge over the Democratic Party. On the economy, 39% trust Republicans to do a better job compared to 32% who trust Democrats more. On immigration, Republicans hold a 42% to 29% edge. The issue gap is widest on crime, where 44% say they trust Republicans compared to 22% who say they trust Democrats.

2. A majority of Americans say Donald Trump has exceeded his authority as president and large shares say the Trump administration should follow federal court rulings. President Trump’s overall job ratings remain steady with 43% expressing approval.

• Overall, 62% of Americans say Donald Trump has gone beyond his authority as president, while 36% say he has acted within his authority since taking office. In comparison, 34% say that former President Joe Biden went beyond his authority when he was president, while 63% say he acted within his authority.
• With federal courts reviewing a number of cases involving the Trump administration, 87% of Americans say the administration should follow court rulings if they determine the administration has acted illegally. Just 11% of Americans think the administration should ignore such rulings.
• President Trump’s overall approval rating stands at 43%, while 56% say they disapprove of the president’s job performance. President Trump receives his highest issue approval ratings for his handling of immigration (44% approve) and the issue of crime in this country (44%). He receives lower ratings for his handling of tariffs on imported goods (34% approve vs. 64% disapprove).

3. Americans continue to express dim views of the economy and largely see it as a “bad time” to find a quality job. Most say tariffs on imported goods are leading to higher prices.

• About three-in-ten (31%) rate the state of the nation’s economy as excellent or good, while 68% rate it as not so good or poor. The percentage of Americans rating the economy positively is slightly higher than previous polling in April (26%) and February (26%).
• A majority of Americans say it is a bad time (63%) to find a quality job in America today; far fewer (36%) say it is a good time to find a quality job.
• Americans are largely critical of the impact of tariffs on prices. A majority (70%) think the Trump administration’s tariffs on imported goods are making prices go up. One in four say they are not making much difference (25%).
• The public remains split on the impact of Trump’s economic policies more broadly. A plurality say Trump’s policies will put the economy on a weaker foundation (43%), compared with 31% who say his policies will put the economy on a stronger foundation. One in five (20%) say it is too soon to say.

About the study

This poll was jointly sponsored and funded by The Washington Post and Ipsos. The poll includes a random sample of 2,513 U.S. adults. Interviews were conducted in English and Spanish.

The questionnaire was administered with the exact questions in the exact order as they appear in this document. Demographic questions are not shown. If a question was asked of a reduced base of the sample, a parenthetical preceding the question identifies the group asked. Phrases surrounded by parentheticals within questions indicate clauses that were randomly rotated for respondents.

Ipsos conducted sampling, interviewing and tabulation for the survey using the KnowledgePanel®, a nationwide survey panel designed to be representative of the U.S. adult population. KnowledgePanel members are recruited through random sampling of U.S. households by mail and invited to join and participate in the panel online. Those selected who do not already have internet access are provided a tablet and internet connection at no cost to the panel member. KnowledgePanel members receive a per survey incentive, usually the equivalent of $1 (though for some it is $2) in points that can be redeemed for cash or prizes.

In this poll, invitations were sent to 4,031 panelists, resulting in 2,513 completed interviews. In quality control, 64 respondents were removed for skipping half or more of the questions for which they were eligible or for completing the survey among the fastest 1 percent of interviews.

Ipsos used probability-proportional-to-size sampling to draw a national sample of adults using the KnowledgePanel matching U.S. population benchmarks. This survey uses statistical weighting procedures to account for deviations in the survey sample from known population characteristics, which helps correct for differential survey participation and random variation in samples. The sample of was weighted to match population estimates for the demographic makeup of U.S. adults, as detailed in the table below.

The following table shows unweighted, weighted and benchmark values for weighting variables in the September 11-15, 2025, Washington Post-Ipsos poll. The survey has a design effect due to weighting of 1.1.

TABLE

Note: 2024 presidential vote is adjusted to 2024 nonvoters, voters and vote choices. Among 2024 voters, weighted candidate support was 50% Trump, 48% Harris and 2% other; and unweighted 47% Trump, 51% Harris and 2% other.

Sources:

• Census Bureau Current Population Survey 2025 March Supplement (age by sex, race/ethnicity, education, region by metro status, household income)
• Census Bureau 2023 American Community Survey (language dominance)
• Associated Press tabulation of certified results (2024 presidential vote)
• Pew 2025 National Public Opinion Reference Survey (party identification)

All error margins have been adjusted to account for the survey’s design effect, which is 1.1 for this survey. The design effect is a factor representing the survey’s deviation from a simple random sample and takes into account decreases in precision due to sample design and weighting procedures. Surveys that do not incorporate a design effect overstate their precision.

For Q3/Q4, Open-ended responses were combined and coded by BTInsights, an AI open-end coding software that sorted responses into similar categories. Each response was then reviewed by a Post polling team member to ensure it was accurately categorized, if necessary, recategorized. Category names were also edited after a review of all codes within each group.

The Washington Post and Ipsos are charter members of AAPOR’s Transparency Initiative, which recognizes organizations that disclose key methodological details on the research they produce.

Contact [email protected] for further information about how The Washington Post conducts polls.

About Ipsos

Ipsos is one of the largest market research and polling companies globally, operating in 90 markets and employing nearly 20,000 people.

Our passionately curious research professionals, analysts and scientists have built unique multi-specialist capabilities that provide true understanding and powerful insights into the actions, opinions and motivations of citizens, consumers, patients, customers or employees. Our 75 business solutions are based on primary data from our surveys, social media monitoring, and qualitative or observational techniques.

“Game Changers” – our tagline – summarizes our ambition to help our 5,000 clients navigate with confidence our rapidly changing world.

Founded in France in 1975, Ipsos has been listed on the Euronext Paris since July 1, 1999. The company is part of the SBF 120, Mid-60 indices, and is eligible for the Deferred Settlement Service (SRD).

ISIN code FR0000073298, Reuters ISOS.PA, Bloomberg IPS:FP

www.ipsos.com

35 rue du Val de Marne
75 628 Paris, Cedex 13 France
Tel. +33 1 41 98 90 00