Poll finds 55 percent blame Trump for hurting the economy

A new NBC News survey points to a tighter U.S. midterm race driven largely by economic concerns and Donald Trump’s declining approval. The poll finds Trump’s approval among registered voters at 41 percent, a second-term low in NBC polling, and 55 percent of respondents say his policies have hurt the economy—up from 48 percent in March. Democrats lead Republicans by 5 points on the generic congressional ballot (50–45), smaller than the 12-point gap before the 2018 midterms. Even with that edge, Democrats are viewed less favorably overall. The survey also shows voters split on who would go too far, and it highlights liabilities for some Republican messaging, including 42 percent saying Trump’s “big, beautiful bill” makes them less likely to support a candidate who backs it. The article cuts off during discussion of a proposal for $5,000 payments.