CNN Analyst Warns Democrats Ahead of Midterm Elections
Harry Enten, CNN’s leading data analyst, delivered a stark message to Democrats this Tuesday: the Republican Party remains a strong contender as the November midterm elections approach, despite President Trump’s lackluster poll numbers and growing public discontent over rising living costs.
During an appearance on CNN News Central, Enten highlighted recent polling data showing a majority of Americans attribute the high cost of living to President Trump. However, he noted that Democrats have struggled to transform this dissatisfaction into a significant electoral edge.
“This poll is an essential reality check for Democrats, especially with the 2026 Congressional elections on the horizon. Redistricting isn’t finished yet,” Enten said. His remarks were reported by Mediaite.
Enten observed, “One might expect that the Democratic lead would grow in the general congressional vote, but it hasn’t.”
Host John Berman referenced a CNN poll indicating that 77% of Americans hold Trump responsible for rising costs and questioned whether Democrats view substantial political gains from the president’s difficulties.
Enten indicated that the data suggests otherwise.
He pointed out that the Democratic lead in popular congressional votes has significantly dwindled since last year. According to him, Democrats had about a 6-point lead in March of last year, but that lead has now shrunk to just 3 points—small enough to fall within the statistical margin of error.
“It’s within the margin of error,” he stated. “Despite the narrative around Trump’s unpopularity, Republicans are still positioned well for the upcoming midterm elections.”
This cautionary note comes as Democrats aim to leverage backlash against Trump’s handling of economic and foreign issues, particularly his military actions involving Iran.
Yet, Enten contended that Trump’s dwindling approval ratings haven’t necessarily translated to increased support for Democrats.
Berman then probed why Democrats haven’t seen a political advantage as Trump’s approval rates have dipped amid inflation and international tensions.
Enten pointed out another concern for the Democratic Party: voters don’t seem overly enthusiastic about them either.
While Trump’s approval rating is approximately 36 points lower compared to earlier polling, Enten remarked that Democrats aren’t faring much better.
“There’s no way Republicans can’t hold on to the House, right?” Enten questioned, indicating that voters appear evenly split on which party they trust more with economic matters.
“But interestingly enough, look at this: Among registered voters, trust in business favors both parties evenly.”
“Just because Trump is unpopular doesn’t mean Democrats will automatically be popular,” Enten concluded. “When you pit Democrats against Republicans, it’s essentially a dead heat.”
