Trump approval rises from record low to 32%

Donald Trump's public approval rating rose to 32% in a Reuters/Ipsos poll, marking an increase of one percentage point from a record low recorded a week earlier. The poll, which closed on Monday, was conducted nationwide and aimed to gauge the public's stance ahead of the November 3 US midterm elections. These elections will determine which party will control Congress – the House of Representatives and the Senate. Trump's fellow Republicans are currently focused on retaining their majorities in both chambers.

The five-day poll also revealed that registered voters had a general preference for Democrats over Republicans, with 47% favoring Democrats and 36% leaning towards Republicans. An additional 11% were unsure of their choice. This 11-point gap was only 1 percentage point narrower than the 10-point gap recorded in a Reuters/Ipsos poll that had closed on October 19. When considering the responses from undecided voters, the national race appeared somewhat closer, with Democrats leading by 9 percentage points, or 50% to 41%.

For Republicans, a loss of control over either the House or the Senate could complicate Trump's agenda during the final two years of his second term as president. However, it's important to note that generic ballot polls, such as this one, provide a broad view of national public sentiment, but they do not accurately capture the complexities of state-by-state and district-by-district contests that ultimately decide control of the Senate and House.

In these contests, Republicans do have some structural advantages. The Reuters/Ipsos poll gathered responses from 1,679 US adults, including 1,280 registered voters, with a margin of error of 2 percentage points for all adults and 3 points for registered voters.