New poll shows Democrats’ best path in 2026: Remind voters the GOP’s in charge

What do independents want next year? It all depends on how you ask the question.

House Speaker Mike Johnson (center), with fellow congressional Republicans (credit: Mike Johnson Facebook)

After racking up decisive wins across the country last week, how can Democrats keep up the momentum at the ballot box next year, when the stakes will be even higher and Congress itself will be up for grabs?

New polling from YouGov Blue shared exclusively with The Downballot shows that voters are ready to punish congressional Republicans in the 2026 midterms—and how Democrats can capitalize on that hostility.

The answer: Make the elections a referendum on the GOP.