Trump's approval stuck at 32% as voters head to midterm polls

Donald Trump heads into election day with his approval rating stuck near rock bottom. Just 32 percent of Americans approve of the job he's doing in the White House, according to a Reuters/Ipsos poll finished on Nov 2 — the same reading as a week earlier and barely above the record low of 31 percent set two weeks ago.

The poll, taken the day before the Nov 3 congressional midterms, shows voters tilting toward Democrats. Asked which party they'd like running Congress, respondents picked Democrats over Republicans 46 percent to 38 percent — an 8-point edge, down from an 11-point Democratic lead a week earlier. That nationwide number doesn't tell the whole story, since control of the Senate and House is decided district by district and state by state.

Independents are sending a loud signal. Half of registered independent voters said their ballot is effectively a vote against Trump, according to the poll, while 13 percent called it a vote for him and 33 percent said he wasn't a factor. Republicans are fighting to keep their majorities in Congress, and strategists from both parties see the House — all 435 seats are in play — as Democrats' best pick-up opportunity. The Senate is a tougher climb, with Democrats playing defense in Alaska and Michigan in the closing days.

Pocketbook pain is driving the mood. Fuel prices have surged since Trump launched a war on Iran in February, and 78 percent of voters called the rising cost of living very important or the most important issue in their vote. On that question, voters trusted Democrats over Republicans 43 percent to 32 percent — a gap that underscores Republican exposure on the economy.

Democratic voters also sound more fired up. Nearly half — 49 percent — said they're very enthusiastic about voting this year, compared with 33 percent of Republicans, a split Democrats hope translates into a turnout advantage.

The Reuters/Ipsos survey covered 1,765 US adults online and carries a margin of error of 2 percentage points. Trump isn't on the ballot this cycle, but the results suggest he's very much on voters' minds.