Americans want more competitive congressional districts, CBS News poll finds

With fewer than six months until the midterm elections and the primaries well underway, the CBS News poll looks at some key dynamics that may shape them, including views about recent redistricting efforts, and what kind of factor President Trump might be.

Redistricting

Amid all the battles over redistricting, most voters think the redistricting process is making congressional elections more unfair and that it is making U.S. democracy weaker.

That's because most voters would prefer more competition, drawing districts that don't favor one party over another.

Current redistricting efforts are seen on balance as leading to more political power for Republicans and less for Democrats.

And those efforts are seen as leading to more political power for White voters and less for Black and Hispanic voters.

This is tied to how voters perceive the two parties and whom they want to help. 

Most voters tend to think the Democratic Party treats both White people and racial minorities the same way, but they are more likely to think the Republican Party puts the interests of White people first. These voters overwhelmingly think redistricting will give more political power to White voters and less to Black and Hispanic voters.

The Trump factor

Though President Trump isn't on the ballot this year, three in four Republican voters want a candidate who will support Trump at least most of the time. This rises to nine in 10 MAGA voters — four in 10 of whom want a candidate who will support everything Trump wants.

Registered voters overall see things differently. They tend to want a candidate who will oppose, rather than support most or all of what Mr. Trump wants.

Control of Congress

Looking ahead, slightly more voters say they would prefer that the Democratic Party, rather than the Republican Party, takes control of Congress next year. (This is a preference for control, not a direct vote of likely voters. It also includes many who are not sure. Nor will an overall preference among registered voters nationwide necessarily translate into House control for Democrats in November, since that is decided in 435 separate contests.)

Even though more registered voters overall prefer Democrats take control of Congress, that doesn't mean they have a more favorable view of the Democratic Party. Both parties are viewed negatively in about equal measure. 

And neither party is seen by a majority as helping with the cost of living, though the Democrats have a relative edge.

This CBS News/YouGov survey was conducted with a nationally representative sample of 2,064 U.S. adults interviewed between May 13-15, 2026. The sample was weighted to be representative of adults nationwide according to gender, age, race, and education, based on the U.S. Census American Community Survey and Current Population Survey, as well as 2024 presidential vote. The margin of error is ±2.7 points for the total sample and  ±2.9 points for registered voters.

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