Voters Hate Political Corruption And They Aren’t Taking It Anymore, Exit Polls Show
Nearly nine in ten voters in Tuesday's midterm elections said government corruption was a major factor influencing their vote, with multiple national surveys showing widespread frustration over political accountability.
Jack McGeever · Nov 4, 2026 · 2 min read
Nearly nine in ten voters in Tuesday’s midterm elections said government corruption was a major factor influencing their vote, with multiple national surveys showing widespread frustration over political accountability.
Government corruption ranked alongside the cost of living as a major concern among voters deciding control of Congress, according to CBS News. The findings reinforced pre-election polling showing Americans increasingly concerned about political accountability and whether elected officials prioritize the public’s interests.
Roughly six in ten voters said President Donald Trump puts his personal interests ahead of the country’s interests, according to CBS News. Concerns about corruption were particularly pronounced among voters supporting Democrats, although the issue resonated across party lines.
An AP Voter Poll, which surveyed approximately 80,000 voters nationwide, also identified government corruption and the cost of living as major concerns. Voters particularly concerned about corruption largely supported Democratic candidates.
NBC News exit polling similarly found that voters were more likely to trust Democrats than Republicans to handle government corruption, even as both parties faced unfavorable ratings.
The election-night findings reinforced pre-election polling that placed corruption alongside inflation as a leading concern. A Fox News poll found 60% of registered voters were extremely concerned about government corruption, compared with 58% who expressed the same level of concern about inflation.
The Fox News survey found 72% of Democrats were extremely concerned about corruption, compared with 47% of Republicans. A separate CNBC poll found 36% of voters identified government corruption as their top concern, narrowly exceeding the 34% who pointed to grocery costs.
Sarah Chamberlain, president of the Republican Main Street Partnership, previously told the DCNF that economic pressures were amplifying voters’ concerns about corruption.
“I think it’s just across the board, people are tired of the corruption,” Chamberlain told the DCNF. “If the economy were healthier, no one would pay attention to the corruption. But because they’re struggling, corruption is a bigger deal on their minds.”