Corruption tops voters' concerns ahead of Nov. 3 midterms, CNBC survey finds
Government corruption edged out grocery and gas prices as voters' leading concern in CNBC's final survey before the Nov. 3 midterm elections.
At a glance
- 36% of voters in CNBC's final pre-midterm survey named government corruption as a top issue, ahead of food and grocery costs at 34%.
- The poll of 1,000 registered voters was conducted Oct. 14-18 and has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.1 percentage points.
- Democrats led Republicans 35% to 31% on handling corruption, a gap that widened to 17 points among voters who ranked it first.
Government corruption is the single biggest concern for US voters ahead of the Nov. 3 midterm elections, topping grocery and gas prices in the final CNBC All-America Economic Survey before the vote.
The poll of 1,000 registered US voters found 36% listed government corruption as one of the most important issues facing the country. The cost of food and groceries followed at 34%, with protecting democracy and the price of gas tied at 23% each.
The survey was conducted Oct. 14-18 and was co-led by Democratic pollster Hart Research Associates and Republican pollster Public Opinion Strategies. It carries a margin of error of plus or minus 3.1 percentage points.
CNBC noted that the question listed economy- and cost-related topics separately, dividing concerns that might rank higher if grouped into one category.
Other polls echo the finding
The result aligns with other recent polling. A Fox News poll published the previous week found 60% of registered voters were extremely concerned about government corruption, more than about inflation and high prices. A Washington Post-ABC News-Ipsos poll released Sunday found about two-thirds of respondents believe President Donald Trump is using the presidency to enrich himself, up 10 percentage points since September 2025. Gallup has recorded multi-decade highs in perceptions of government corruption, and an August Reuters/Ipsos poll found nearly seven in ten Americans think Trump's businesses influence his presidential decisions.
Party messaging and voter views
The finding follows months of Democratic messaging linking economic dissatisfaction with what the party alleges is widespread corruption by Trump and his Republican allies. Trump has countered that his administration has "waged an unprecedented war on corruption and fraud," and the White House has launched a task force led by Vice President JD Vance targeting fraud.
Democrats have pointed to costs they tie to Trump's tariffs and the war with Iran. Sen. Mark Warner of Virginia said Americans have spent more than $100 billion extra on gas because of the war. Sen. Jon Ossoff of Georgia argued in a campaign video that elected representatives answer to donors and special interests rather than to voters. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries said Republicans have done nothing to lower costs.
Asked which party would handle corruption better, respondents gave Democrats a four-point edge, 35% to 31%. Among voters who named corruption their most important issue, the gap widened to 17 points, and independents favored Democrats by 15 points — though 41% of independents said neither party would do a good job.
Brian Lemek of the Democrat-backing political action committee Defend the Vote said voters are connecting a corrupt and broken system to their high costs. The poll also found 93% of voters oppose elected officials, including the president and members of Congress, owning or trading individual stocks in companies holding federal contracts, while 89% said companies owned or invested in by a sitting president's immediate family should not receive federal contracts.
Source: CNBC Top News.
Questions and answers
- What is the top issue for voters ahead of the midterm elections?
- Government corruption, named by 36% of respondents in CNBC's final All-America Economic Survey before the Nov. 3 election. The cost of food and groceries came second at 34%.
- How was the CNBC survey conducted?
- It polled 1,000 registered US voters from Oct. 14-18. It was co-led by Democratic pollster Hart Research Associates and Republican pollster Public Opinion Strategies, with a margin of error of plus or minus 3.1 percentage points.
- Which party do voters trust more on corruption?
- Democrats held a four-point lead over Republicans, 35% to 31%. Among voters who called corruption their most important issue, the Democratic advantage grew to 17 points.
