How the 2026 Generic Ballot Compares to Past Elections

Asking voters which party they want for Congress has long been a critical indicator of the national mood. Here's what the polls have said for elections going back to 1994.

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Before every election, pollsters ask Americans some variation of the generic ballot: if the next election for Congress were held today, would you vote for the Democrat or Republican in your district? Since there isn’t a national two-way race for Congress like in a presidential election, such a “generic” question is the best way to gauge the national environment in midterm years.

This year, Democrats have mostly maintained a strong advantage on the generic ballot, a common pattern for the party out of power in a midterm year. Here’s how 2026 polling among likely voters compares to the last two midterms…

Likely voter estimate

…and here’s what the generic ballot looked like across all populations going back to the 1994 midterms.

Registered/likely voters and adults

Historic polls from: Gallup, 538, RealClearPolitics, Roper Center, PollingReport.com

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