An AP-NORC/AAPI Data poll reveals growing dissatisfaction among Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander voters toward President Donald Trump and the GOP ahead of the November 2026 midterms. Democrats hold a 20-point lead on handling the economy and immigration, with only two in 10 AAPI adults approving of Trump's economic management. Rising gas prices linked to conflict in Iran have reinforced economic and cost-of-living concerns as dominant election issues.
AAPI adult views on political parties
- ▪About two-thirds of AAPI adults hold an unfavorable view of the Republican Party, while 48 percent hold an unfavorable view of the Democratic Party and 44 percent view it favorably.
- ▪An AP-NORC/AAPI Data poll conducted September 8–15, 2026, found that Democrats hold a roughly 20-percentage-point lead over Republicans among AAPI adults on handling the economy and immigration.
Declining AAPI support for Donald Trump
- ▪Approximately one-quarter of AAPI adults approve of Donald Trump's overall job performance as president, and only about two in 10 approve of his economic management.
- ▪Donald Trump's favorability among AAPI adults fell from nearly four in 10 after the late 2024 election to roughly three in 10 by September 2026.
- ▪Karthick Ramakrishnan, founder of AAPI Data, stated that Donald Trump's post-2024 election honeymoon period gains among AAPI adults have largely disappeared.
Top midterm election issues for AAPI voters
- ▪About seven in 10 AAPI adults rank healthcare as a top election priority, significantly outranking foreign policy, crime, immigration, voting integrity, and climate change, which are prioritized by roughly half.
- ▪About nine in 10 AAPI adults identify the economy as one of the most critical issues for the upcoming midterm elections, and roughly eight in 10 say the same about the cost of living.
Impact of Iran conflict on living costs
- ▪Ongoing military conflict involving Iran has driven up fuel expenses, with Korean American voter Rebecca Larocco reporting local gas prices rising by almost $1.50 a gallon.
- ▪The conflict in Iran is affecting gas prices and elevating broader living costs across the United States ahead of the November 2026 midterm elections.
Survey methodology
- ▪The AP-NORC/AAPI Data poll surveyed 1,023 AAPI adults from September 8 to September 15, 2026, with a margin of sampling error of plus or minus 4.7 percentage points.
- ▪The AP-NORC/AAPI Data poll drew its sample from NORC's probability-based Amplify AAPI Panel to represent Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander adults.
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