A post-election poll from the Economist/YouGov finds that party loyalty, not opposition to President Donald Trump, was the single biggest factor driving how Americans voted in this year’s midterms — though opposition to Trump still ranked second nationally, ahead of the economy.
The survey asked voters a direct question: what was the most important factor in deciding how you voted this year? A quarter of respondents said party loyalty. Thirteen percent pointed to opposition to Trump. Twelve percent cited the economy. Everything else — including “desire for change” and “opposition to extremist ideology” — pulled seven percent or less.
The partisan breakdown shows how differently Democrats and Republicans are processing the same election. Twenty-seven percent of both Democrats and Republicans said party loyalty was their top factor. But 19 percent of Democrats also said opposition to Trump mattered most to them, with 12 percent citing the economy. Republicans told a nearly opposite story: just three percent said opposition to Trump drove their vote, while 14 percent pointed to the economy and 11 percent said opposition to “extremist ideology.”
Independents landed in between, and their numbers are the ones worth watching. Nineteen percent of independents said opposition to Trump was their main factor — edging out party loyalty, which only 18 percent of independents cited. Eleven percent pointed to the economy.
The poll was conducted November 4-6, 2026, in the immediate aftermath of an election cycle that went badly for Republicans nationwide. In Texas, Democrat James Talarico won a Senate seat and Republican Gov. Greg Abbott was voted out of office — results that rattled GOP strategists far beyond state lines. Nationally, Democrats took back control of both the House and Senate, setting up two difficult final years for Trump’s presidency.
Republicans Scramble Before the Clock Runs Out
With control about to change hands in January, Sen. Rick Scott (R-FL) has been pushing Senate Republicans to move fast while they still hold the gavel. This week, the chamber unanimously approved Scott’s motion to keep the Senate in Washington, D.C., to finish work before Democrats take over.
Scott’s top priority is judicial nominees — lifetime appointments that he says have no chance of confirmation once Democrats control the Senate. He is also pressing Republicans to pass the SAVE America Act and to move on permitting reform, which he argues will “lower costs for every American.”
“We need to get as much done as possible before Democrats take over in January. No excuses. No days off,” Scott said Wednesday.
The poll numbers offer some context for why Republicans are in a hurry. With independents splitting almost evenly between party loyalty and Trump opposition as their top motivator, and the economy trailing both nationally, the data suggests the midterm losses were driven by more than a single issue — and Republicans are racing the calendar to lock in what they can before the political ground shifts again.
