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Navigator Research · Expanding the Battleground

The Numbers Behind
the Battleground

Navigator Research surveyed four states in the battleground — Iowa, Texas, Ohio, and Alaska — to find out what Americans really care about and which policies they want members of Congress to deliver on.

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Why these four states
All eyes on Iowa, Texas, Ohio, and Alaska

Expanding the Battleground takes Navigator Research deep into Iowa, Texas, Ohio, and Alaska to measure how Americans there view the president, the economy, and the policies shaping their daily lives. From Trump’s approval rating to the cost of living, the war with Iran, and the Republican tax law, the survey covers issues top of mind for Americans.

57%%
disapprove of the way Donald Trump is handling his job as president
68%%
rate the economy negatively
48%%
blame President Trump and Republicans in Congress for rising costs

Impact Research conducted public opinion surveys among a sample of 600 likely 2026 general election voters in each of Alaska, Iowa, Ohio, and Texas for a total sample size of 2,400 between August 18 – 27, 2026. The survey was conducted via text-to-web interviews. Respondents were verified against a voter file and special care was taken to ensure the demographic composition of our sample matched that of each state included in the sample across a variety of demographic variables. The margin of error for the full sample at the 95 percent level of confidence is ± 2.0 percentage points. The margin of error for subgroups varies and is higher.

Four states. Four fault lines.

Hover over each state to see what people there care about most · tap on mobile
Iowa
Iowa
Inflation & the cost of living
48% name it a top priority — corruption in government follows at 46%
Texas
Texas
Inflation & the cost of living
53% name it a top priority — with corruption in government at 52%
Ohio
Ohio
Inflation & the cost of living
52% name it a top priority — tied with corruption in government at 52%
Alaska
Alaska
Inflation & the cost of living
41% name it a top priority — jobs and the economy close behind at 40%
Iowa
Iowa

What’s at stake in the heartland.

Iowans are concerned by the safety of their water supply, cuts to healthcare, and corruption.

%
of Iowans view Donald Trump unfavorably
  • 60% are seriously concerned by lawmakers refusing to ban pesticides that pollute water
  • 59% are seriously concerned by lawmakers voting to cut Medicaid, forcing rural hospitals and clinics to close and cut services
  • 57% are seriously concerned by lawmakers ending tax credits that help working people and small businesses pay for health insurance
  • 54% are seriously concerned by lawmakers allowing big tech companies to build data centers with no restrictions
“Economic setback, Healthcare, Iranian war, Budget crisis just to name a few!”2024 Trump voter from Iowa who now regrets their vote
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Texas
Texas

Bigger than the border.

One in 10 Texans who voted for Trump in 2024 now regret their vote. They’re dismayed by lawmakers raising their prices and cutting healthcare.

%
of Texans who voted for Trump in 2024 now regret their vote
  • 70% are seriously concerned by lawmakers allowing big tech companies to build data centers with no restrictions
  • 61% are seriously concerned by lawmakers supporting one of the biggest tax increases in history on goods like cars and medicine
  • 58% are seriously concerned by lawmakers supporting the end of tax credits that help working people and small businesses pay for health insurance
  • 56% are seriously concerned by lawmakers backed by big pharma and the healthcare industry
“His promises to the people who voted him into office were not kept. … He brought us into a war (Iran) we had no business being in.”2024 Trump voter from Texas who now regrets their vote
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Ohio
Ohio

Who’s really paying the bill?

A majority of Ohioans want lawmakers to prioritize inflation and the cost of living, but few see President Trump and Republicans in Congress focused on it.

%
of Ohioans want lawmakers in Washington to prioritize inflation and the cost of living. However, only 11% see President Trump and Republicans in Congress prioritizing it.
  • 78% are seriously concerned by lawmakers creating a taxpayer-funded slush fund that would give members of Congress a half-a-million-dollar payout
  • 62% are seriously concerned by lawmakers allowing utility companies to raise rates on consumers
  • 61% are seriously concerned by lawmakers supporting one of the biggest tax increases in history on goods like cars and medicine
  • 58% are seriously concerned by lawmakers opposing a stock trading ban for members of Congress
“Look at the debt increase that has happened in the years he’s been in office. I don’t have the time to list everything else he has screwed up.”2024 Trump voter from Ohio who now regrets their vote
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Alaska
Alaska

The last frontier, up for grabs.

As Alaskans struggle with rising costs, they see Republicans in Congress focused on policies that have made life less affordable.

%
of Alaskans say Republicans in Congress have focused on policies that made life less affordable
  • 69% are seriously concerned by lawmakers creating a taxpayer-funded slush fund that would give members of Congress a half-a-million-dollar payout
  • 53% are seriously concerned by lawmakers voting to spend billions of dollars on the war with Iran
  • 52% are seriously concerned by lawmakers supporting one of the biggest tax increases in history on goods like cars and medicine
  • 51% are seriously concerned by lawmakers supporting the end of tax credits that help working people and small businesses pay for health insurance
“High cost of living.”2024 Trump voter from Alaska who now regrets their vote
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What crosses every line

A battleground squeezed by high costs

0%

view the economy negatively

48% blame President Trump and Republicans in Congress for rising costs — more than blame Democrats in Congress (37%).

0%

want to see their lawmakers in Washington prioritize healthcare.

A tax shift onto everyday goods

58% are seriously concerned by lawmakers supporting one of the biggest tax increases in history on goods like cars and medicine.

0%

disapprove of Trump’s handling of the war with Iran

Opposition to the war — and to spending billions on it — cuts across party lines in the battleground.

The Battleground is Listening.
Are You?

Across Iowa, Texas, Ohio, and Alaska, the through-line is clear: Americans want leaders who answer to them and focus on the issues they care about most. Here’s what the data says.

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